One Breath
by finaljoy
Summary: Lives are made out of hundreds of moments, thousands of breaths. But it only takes one breath to make a decision, to fall in love, to trade seemingly everything you have for a single, life changing soul.
1. little lost child

**_AN I watched Dark Knight Rises, and I had to write this. The more I learned about them, the more I thought about their lives. And then...I suddenly had enough for a story._**

She had been so, so small the first time he'd seen her. It was bizarre, seeing such a tiny, fragile thing walking on the other side of the Pit, hand in hand with her mother. Eyes followed them at the curiosity of it, and that was something that you never wanted in the Pit; attention. Not unless you had the skills to break the legs of anyone who tried to set their disgusting hands on you. And it was clear looking at this child and its mother, that they could not protect themselves.

Bane had seen the mother come into the Pit, everyone had. A princess coming from the skies, they whispered, and he had spared himself a few seconds to watch the figure lowered so slowly on a rope. Some whispered that she would rescue them, she was the ambassador from the land above, but those were only the ones that had begun cracking up. No one that was sane entertained such terrible ideas. Having that mocking hole in their stone sky was bad enough.

Everyone had wondered how long she'd last in the Pit. There were already a few women down there, the rest having died for some reason or another, poison, despair or having been beaten to death. The ones that survived either had something to provide in exchange for their life or purity, or were simply too unstable to be approached. This one, the new one, the princess, Bane had thought she'd die on the first day, especially when he saw her stomach swollen from a child, but when a man had tried to touch her, she had kicked in the side of his knee and nearly clawed an eye out.

Bane let out a scoffing laugh. It seemed she might make it in the place, after all.

And even when she died, just a few agonizing, brief years later, some could say she had done better than anyone else. This woman, a warlord's daughter, had given birth and managed to keep her speck of a child alive, not to mention safe. Bane doubted many people could pull that off.

He had spoken to her a few times, just to get a proper look at the child. It had been so long since he'd see one that he had forgotten their features. The mother was wary, eyes distrusting like she expected a trick, someone to leap out and pin her down while this usually solitary man spoke to her. The child, however, stared with open curiosity, peeking out from behind its mother's rags. Even at that age, two or three was his guess, the blue, blue eyes struck him.

He didn't find out the child's gender until the next year, when an ancient woman let it slip. She was going senile, which was a true shame, as she was almost the last decent story teller in that forsaken hole, but he had been around for one of her rare, clear moments.

"Shame, shame," she had muttered to the doctor, who was incoherent from morphine.

"What's a shame," he asked, curiosity making him look up from wrapping the cut on his arm. She blinked at him, struggling against the cataracts plaguing her eyes.

"About the child. The one with the blue eyes. There'll be no one to tell her about what it all means. How she'll feel and her flow and becoming a woman."

"Why's that?"

"The men here...they are becoming restless."

She whispered the last bit, as if their fellow convicts might turn savage at her words. Bane understood her worry, though.

Disease had begun to spread, and people were coming desperate. For supplies, for freedom, for entertainment. Since there were so many sick, the number of people daring to climb up the wall had dwindled, and violence had started erupting in its place, quiet, sharp struggles that lasted mere seconds, but the mens' appetite were growing with the prospect of death. Soon they would move on from spontaneous scuffles with people that could fight back to premeditated attacks to those that couldn't raise a finger in defense.

Bane had always been disgusted at the thought of forcing a woman because a person felt desperate and hopeless. Like her screams and her nails down their face would make anything better. Maybe this was what spurred his interest in this mother and child, the curiosity as to how they'd fair. Would the mother be able to hold out, saving herself and her child, or would she crumble under the Pit's alarming weight? He also had to wonder how the girl would look, should her mother be taken before her.

To his surprise, the thought left an odd feeling in his stomach. He didn't recall the last time he'd cared about anyone other than himself.

The shrieks he heard later were unlike anything he'd ever heard. Not like the shouts of pain that were so common, nor were they the occasional demented howl of the insane. They came from the mother, the princess, similar to the ones he'd heard when the child had been born, though it wasn't so much of pain and sadness and exhaustion, as fear and anger and desperation. Bane turned in his cell to take in the view, leaning into the bars for a better look. A man was leering through the bars of the cell with the mother and child, a hand pawing at the air. The mother was pushing the girl back, screaming like the monster that inhabited every myth and legend around the world. She clawed at the man, catching his hand with her nails a couple times, but then he grabbed her, snatching her wrist and yanking her close. The woman screamed and writhed and scratched, and the child watched so, so quietly, curled up in the farthest corner, eyes looking horrified.

The doctor lumbered over, roughly shoving the man back and talking to him in his own language. The woman scrambled back, clutching at her child and heaving slightly, staring as the two men argued. The attacker eventually backed down, but as Bane turned his back on the scene, one thing was abundantly clear. A message had been sent. The warrior princess had fallen. Next time, she would not be able to fight back.

The group was assembled several days later, and Bane joined. They whispered about a plan to distract the doctor from locking their cell door and storming the place. He wasn't interested in stealing what little the mother and daughter had left, but he couldn't stand the thought of just watching it all from his cell, twiddling with a stone or some piece of string as more screams, hopeless and hurt and terrified echoed through the cavern.

No one looked twice at him when he stepped up, just gave awful, hungry laughs and said not to worry, there'd be enough for everyone. Maybe even seconds if they included the child.

"It might be a boy," he said, and the only shrugged.

"So?"

The were savages, he thought, smothering the urge to fight them all now. Despite his strength and skill, he'd never be able to outlast their numbers.

Bane pulled the hood onto his head, hating the smell and coarseness of it. But it would protect him, hide just who he was when he acted. The protection wouldn't last long as he couldn't wear the hood for forever, but the confusion would aid him in his rescue attempt.

The signal was given, and the howl and laughs of hungry men boomed across the Pit. Bane stayed quiet, focused, trusting the others to be too preoccupied to notice.

He hadn't known what he'd do when he got to the cell, so Bane didn't really have any plans to be foiled, but that didn't stop his heart from dropping when he saw the men dragging the woman away. There'd be no saving both her and the girl, whom the men had ignored or not noticed yet, too interested in the mother at the moment. If he didn't act fast, though, there was no way he'd be able to save either of them. Bane made his decision quickly; the mother would realize a rescue faster than the child, but there were far more people to get past, she was heavier, and wouldn't last long, all things considered. The girl it would have to be.

She was gasping and crying, curled in the farthest corner of the cell. Had he not been looking for her, Bane doubted he would have noticed her in a pile of rags, half hidden by the small cot.

He leaped forward, shoving past the men blocking the way, scooped her up and charged back through the mass of bodies. He held her tight, probably tighter than he should have, but he couldn't afford her writhing and making him lose concentration. He didn't know how old she was, five, maybe, but she was so _tiny,_ a bird that had flown down on accident and forgotten how to get back up. When she started screaming, he pressed her face into his chest, muffling her somewhat. Several men tried to stop him, but he forced his way past, twisting arms and cracking ribs when necessary.

Finally, they were free. No hands grabbed at him, no one pointed at the bundle in his arms. He sat down heavily, leaning against a the edge of a walkway and looking furtively at the others like a child that had manged to steal the last piece of candy.

Bane pushed away his surging adrenaline, trying to be gentle as he examined the child in his arms. A terrifying, forlorn thought crossed him; what if he'd smothered her? Held her too tight in all the madness and ruined all his efforts? But no, as he loosened his grip, he saw how she shook, saw her wide, wide eyes, staring at him in utter fear.

For one moment, they were frozen, sizing each other up. He the potential predator, waiting to see if she would bolt, she the possible prey, waiting to see if he'd lunge.

"You're safe," he told her, and she just blinked, pulling a little farther away, pressing up against his bent legs. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you, little one."

Bane paused at this. _Little one?_ The term of almost affection was one from his own childhood, where everything had been dark and the people were dark versions of the ones above ground. It was strange, how naturally the words had flowed out.

The girl frowned at him, and he raised a hand to smudge away a tear, but she flinched, grabbing back at his thighs before realizing that was a part of him as well. The girl glanced around, trying to figure out how she was supposed to escape a man so huge. Her feet were resting on his stomach, each one smaller than his hand.

"Be calm," he said, raising his hand, palm open by his face. She flinched away, closing her eyes. The girl probably expected him to strike or grab her, remembering how the other men had treated her mother. Instead, he pulled the rags from around his face, separating him from the other monsters. She cracked open an eye, watching him warily. He waited, watching her relax the slightest bit.

"What's your name?" he asked, and she continued to stare at him. A thought hit Bane - maybe she didn't understand him. Wonderful. He searched for the language he had heard the mother speak. He knew several languages, mostly because there was such a variety of people in the Pit and he didn't like living in ignorance. The majority of their names had blurred into nothing at this point, but then, he didn't need those down here.

"What's your name?" he tried again, and she stiffened in recognition.

"T-talia," she murmured, and he nodded. They'd have to keep that quiet if they wanted to her last very long in here. He'd have to make sure to only call her 'little one' or the like when the others were around.

"Hello, Talia," he said gently, and she gave a tiny, tiny nod. Her eyes were large and uncertain, blue as the ocean he had nearly forgotten amidst all this rock and tan and dust. Her hair was shorter than his, and since she was still young, no one could tell what gender she was without a good look. But what about when she was older? What about when she started to bleed, or her voice didn't boom and crack like a boy's? Or, what about the more immediate matter of someone noticing she didn't have the right parts?

He smothered those thoughts. He'd be careful whenever she went to the bathroom or changed, and judging by how she was acting towards him, she'd take care of the rest. Besides, most of those problems wouldn't come for at least another seven years. They had time.

"Where is...where is my mother?" she asked, lisping voice tight with emotion. The woman's screams had died away while they'd been talking (or rather, while he'd been talking and she staring), so maybe they had gagged her. Bane glanced up, noting the huddle of men. Talia tried to look, but one of his large hands on her cheek made her freeze.

"She's not here. She's..." He struggled with the words, because he wasn't sure he should explain the concepts of rape and murder to a child, and because he was losing the words of a language he hadn't used in so blasted long.

"She won't be coming back."

There was a muffled shriek of pain, and his first instinct was to clap his hands over her ears, but the noise died down immediately, turning into the hurried, angry murmurs of the men. Talia flinched at the sound, pulling in on herself. She looked like a half drowned cat, something Bane had seen a couple of times before being tossed into the Pit.

He opened his arms, a question asking if she needed comfort, but she shook her head, staying as far away from his chest as possible. When she heard the shouts of rage, as well as the dull sound of a person being hit with something hard, she jerked into him, clutching at the rags covering his chest. She may have been little more than bone, but there was a softness he'd long since forgotten, a softness that always went with innocence. Bane held her again, rocking her slightly while he watched the huddle of men, which was breaking apart surprisingly fast.

At first, he was confused because such things _never_ ended so quickly, but then he saw Talia's mother. She was limp, a rag doll dragged along the rough ground. A stream of glistening red trailed from her mouth down nearly to her stomach, large enough to tell him what had happened. Respect for the woman blossomed in him, because truly, she deserved the title 'warrior princess'. She had bitten off her own tongue and drowned in the blood, rather than wait through the nightmare those monsters had planned.

"What happened to her?" Talia whispered, voice husky from crying. "Did they have their way with her?"

"No," he said, wanting to laugh, because such resistance was so rare in the Pit. "No, little one. She made fools of them, and then she rose above it all."

"Is she dead?" The words were so soft that he barely heard the emotion in them. Trepidation at the truth, the vaguest hope for her mother's survival, fear as to what he might do should she be alive. Would this giant let Talia go back to how her life had been before, or would he keep her there, motives the exact same as all the other men?

"Yes. She is dead."

Talia let out a breath, a short, heart sore gasp. He felt the tears seep through the fabric of his shirt, and then she said "It'd be worse for me."

Bane was silent for a moment, imaging the wary, paranoid life she and her mother must have lived.

"Yes, little one. Yes it would."

_**AN OKAY BEGINNING CHAPTER DONE. I tried to make this different from the other fanfics starting at this same general moment, and I hope I succeeded. **_

_**Review, tell me what you thought! I can't wait to hear what you have to say :)**_


	2. have a little faith

_**AN Oh...my gosh. You guys. I am absolutely floored by the attention this story has gotten! Wow, thank you! I loved reading all of your comments, but I was a little surprised at what you said. Heartbreaking? This story is (already) heartbreaking! I don't know whether I should dance or feel worried (Clearly my priorities AREN'T conventional). And I guess you guys really liked how I wrote Bane, which is funny because I was really just feeling around for what felt okay. I'll just have to try to keep doing what I was doing before XD**_

Bane's cell had never been much; a cot, some rags, iron bars and a whole lot of dirt. All the cells were the same, though filled with the tiny tidbits the prisoners had managed to scrounge up, but looking at it now, holding this little girl in his arms, he felt slightly self-conscious. Talia hardly batted an eye, though, and he stepped inside, locking the door behind him. She stiffened when she heard the soft click, and he shook his head. The strangest things put her on edge, though he supposed there was good reason.

She had allowed him to carry her up to his cell, arms and legs wrapped around his front. The little girl had peered over his shoulder at everything that passed, so he had supposed that she had decided to trust him. This was clearly not the case.

Bane set her down on the cot, and she stared at him, cat-like as he headed to his small stash of food.

"Here," he said, offering a piece of flat bread. Talia stared at it, then shook her head after a moment. He scowled at her, something that made her pull back a little. Her stomach had growled twice on their way up, and had he been in her position, he would have leaped at the chance of food. But then, what did he know about constantly hiding and taking only what would keep him from being noticed? Maybe taking food from him (even though it had been offered) was something that her mother had told her never to do.

He sat down on the edge of the cot, one leg tucked under him while the other rested on the floor. She watched him, eyes wide as though that would enable her to see everything. Bane held the bread out to her again, but Talia pulled her hand up to her chest, clenched in a tight fist. For some reason, he found this funny.

"I haven't poisoned it," he said, the traces of a smile on his face. Bane tore off and ate a small piece to prove its decency. "Go on, Talia, eat."

She blinked at her name, then slowly reached out to take it, arm tense like she was prepared to snatch it back at any second. Her touch was light, the brush of wind or a moth's wings, then the bread was out of his hand, clutched in her fist. Talia nibbled at it, watching him intently.

"Do you understand English?" he asked, and after a moment, she whispered "A little."

"Then you'll have to learn, little one." He tore off more bread, resting it on his open palm. She took it, again, the quickest of the movements as she snatched it away, like she was afraid he'd grab her if she were too slow. Then Bane remembered what had happened just a few days ago, when that man outside Talia's cell had grabbed her mother. No wonder she was scared of taking something out of his hand, he thought, tearing off a piece for himself. With a memory like that...it was a miracle she wasn't curled up on the far end of the cot, glaring at him until he left her alone.

Talia's eyes widened when he produced the strips of dried meat from the food bag, clearly something she and her mother hadn't seen often. Her gaze left his face as she took it, and he flashed a smile. Watching her was surprisingly entertaining, like she was an animal acting oddly human.

When Bane offered her the water skin, she took it without protest. Talia sipped from it silently, and when she allowed herself a sweep of the room, he felt a ripple of satisfaction. Apparently, she had decided he wasn't about to leap on her just yet. He took the water skin from her after a few moments, earning a confused look from her, but he just shrugged.

"There's only one, and I haven't had a drink yet."

She frowned, turning to look back at the cell.

The sky was turning orange, a quiet relief. Bane didn't mind the selective light that came filtering down, it was infinitely better than the intense encompassing light he had first been introduced to after climbing out of the darkness. But the night, especially moonless ones, they were the best. That was when Bane felt most comfortable, most at home. Years of living in intense darkness had given him eyes very adept at seeing in such murk.

Talia seemed to have a different opinion about this. She pulled her legs up to her chest, glancing around nervously. Her eyes settled on him for a moment before seeming to decide he wasn't worth her worried examination.

Bane realized that she was yet again searching for danger. Had her mother taught her _anything_ that didn't involve hiding and constant surveillance?

_I'll have to fix that,_ he thought, then realized that he'd have to teach her practically everything. She was barely a child, a child that knew of nothing beyond in the Pit no less, so what would she know beyond basic survival? He sighed at the thought of such involved, continuous work, but he couldn't just leave this whisper of a being alone to ignorance. Saving her didn't stop at protecting her. There'd be a time when he wasn't around, and she'd need as much knowledge as possible to continue on her own.

Bane put the food away, glancing at her over his shoulder. He noticed that Talia let her attention wander off to everything around them, but when he changed tasks or did something unexpected, like wave his hand at a fly, her eyes snapped back to him. Bane found it both irritating and amusing. When was she going to believe that he wouldn't do anything to her?

The light had gone by now, with exception of the handful of fires or lamps scattered across the Pit. Most of the time, the Pit (especially the bottom) was dark. When the sun or moon was high above, though, the darkness would be pushed back for a few hours.

He glanced at Talia, who had pulled in on herself a little more now that she couldn't see. Her head would snap towards each noise he made, like she was convinced he would turn horribly devious now that the sun wasn't there to watch them. When he brushed the cell door, making a dull metallic sound, she jerked forward.

"Wait!" she gasped, and he stared at her in surprise. For all of her suspicion, she certainly panicked at the thought of him leaving. "Where...where are you?" she asked, sounding embarrassed at having shown such emotion.

"I am here," he whispered, padding towards her. She blinked as he moved closer, and he crouched down in front of her. He held up his hand, and after a hesitant second, she reached out and pressed her palm against his.

"I never told you my name," he said, thinking out loud, really, but she sat there expectantly, even saying "What is it?" when he didn't continue.

"Bane," he said quietly, to which she frowned at.

"Bane," she repeated, tasting the word on her tongue. He couldn't guess what she was thinking, her face was surprisingly hard to read beyond the basic expression. Perhaps she thought his name odd, or was wondering what on earth she was doing in a locked cell with a dangerous man named something so sinister as 'Bane'. He quickly threw that thought out - there was almost no way she knew what his name meant, and even if she did it wouldn't be high on her list of worries.

"It's nice to meet you, Talia," he said, smiling at her. She nodded, the edges of what he thought a shy smile on her lips. Bane stood up, grabbing the blanket and handing it to her.

"You should go to sleep," he told her, and she obediently laid down, spreading the blanket over herself. He didn't have another for his own use, but she looked like a breeze would freeze her through. Desert nights were nearly as cold as the days were hot. Even now, the warmth that the stones around them had collected was slipping silently away.

Bane climbed onto the cot, figuring that if it really came down to it, the girl would also get his shirt, but his train of thought snapped apart as she jerked upright, staring at him. Every muscle was taut and she looked like he had just stabbed someone in front of her and was making her watch them bleed. They stared at each other, him halfway on the cot, muscles groaning at being held in such an awkward position and her with back pressed up against the rock wall, so tense that the cords in her neck stood out.

"Lay down."

Talia shook her head furiously, sitting up a little more, blanket clenched in her fists as panic swelled in her eyes.

He frowned. This was getting ridiculous.

"Why not?"

"Because - because Mother always...she always said never to trust a man." Bane tried not to snort, shifting so he was once more sitting on the edge of the cot, watching her. She ignored him, voice trembling, though from grief at her mother's death or fear at his potentially indecent soul, he didn't know.

"She said that men would try to hurt me, use me for bad reasons."

Bane tilted his head, considering this unexpected speech. She was so scared she was shaking but there wasn't really a thing he could do about it.

_Why did you bother saving this child?_ a part of him asked. _What good is she to you? Why spend all this effort when it's only a matter of time before someone slips past you? Better to just leave her out there, not bother with her any more._

Anger at himself surged in his chest, washing away all protests. He may not have known why he had saved this small, troubled child, but one thing was clear - he would _never_ turn his back on her. That was a cruelty someone so young and innocent could never deserve.

"Do you think I'm like other men?" he asked, entirely serious. She paused, almost crying.

"I don't know." She dropped her eyes, staring at her fidgeting hands.

"Listen to me," he said, and Talia's glanced up at his face, seemingly against her will. "None of the other men here would take the time to make you like them. Not if they were going to do like your mother said."

Talia bit her lip.

"If I wanted to do _anything_ to you, Talia, I can promise you it would have happened back in your cell. I would not have waited til now."

He looked into her face as he said it, voice utterly even. Her breath caught at the image he was painting, and then she gave a shaky nod. Bane narrowed his eyes, examining her face.

"You still don't trust me."

She shook her head.

He heaved a sigh, pushing himself off the cot and knelt on the floor. He heard the cot creek as she leaned forward, watching him lay down on the bare dirt.

"What're you doing?"

"I have to sleep somewhere."

"Won't you be cold?" she asked, leaning over the edge of the cot. Bane noted that she looked truly worried, odd for someone who didn't trust him.

"I'll be fine, little one. You will need the blanket more than I."

He closed his eyes, utterly grateful that he kept his cell clean unlike so many of the inmates. There was another creak from the cot, Talia probably laying back down, soft murmurs of people getting for sleep all over the Pit, the gentle breathing coming from the girl only a few feet away...

"You...you can sleep on here," Talia said after a moment, sounding embarrassed and unsure. He opened his eyes.

"Are you sure, little one?"

She didn't say anything, but gave a slow nod. Perhaps the thought of sleeping alone for the first time in her life was scarier than sleeping beside a strange man. Or maybe (the hope was small, but he had learned by now that a teaspoon was just as potent as a cupful) his gesture of offering to sleep on the floor had earned her trust.

He stood up, and as he brushed the dirt from himself he could see the flutter of doubt in her eyes. Did she really want him there, a person so much larger and stronger than herself? Maybe she should change her mind and tell him to stay on the ground. But she didn't say a word as he stepped closer, merely scooted over so he could lay down.

Bane settled on the cot, moving the pillow over so he could rest his head on it.

"Are you going to lay down?" he asked, watching her jump slightly at being addressed. Talia paused, then eased her way down beside him, using his outstretched arm as a pillow.

After a few seconds, she relaxed, pressing a little closer to him. Bane closed his eyes, listening to their breaths.

_This might work_ out, he thought, feeling Talia fall asleep.

_**AN Ugh, imagining young Talia adjust to life with Bane is just adorable to me. She's all wide eyed worry, and he's just going about his business, wondering why on earth she doesn't believe he's actually there to help her XD  
**_

_**It's fun writing for Bane, because I get to add in that touch of a gentleman he has going on. And yet, I have to balance that out with his dark and uncivil side. It's a wonderful, wonderful challenge :)  
**_


	3. need some trust

**_AN This chapter was fun to write. I'm laying the groundwork for a couple ideas that I haven't really seen in other Bane/Talia fics, mostly because they spend only a couple chapters in the Pit. My story's going to be more on the longer side, and spend about 99 percent of the time in the Pit. Hopefully I can make it work :)_**

Talia listened to herself breathe a moment, trying not to cry. Her mother was dead, she'd seen her body by the spot where all the corpses went, front soaked in red. The numerous things she'd told Talia raced in her head.

_Don't trust men. Don't sleep with them. Never take off any clothing in front of them; don't let them take any off of you. Don't take food from them unless they have eaten some of it first. Don't let them touch you. If one of them did something to make you feel uncomfortable, run away. If they follow, scream, bite, kick, do anything to get away._

What was she supposed to do now that her mother was gone? She didn't know how to get food or clothes, but...Bane did.

Talia had seen him a few times before he'd com and saved her, well, more than a few. Everyone in the Pit knew everyone else as they were trapped in the same place for the rest of their lives, but meaningful memories, ones that actually stuck were rare. She thought about the moments involving Bane, frowning. He had spoken to her mother when she was younger, and Talia had peered at him from behind her mother's leg. She clearly didn't trust Bane, but to Talia, he didn't have that scary feel that the majority of the inmates had. When he looked at her, it was curious, one look and he was done, eyes back on her mother. With the others, their eyes lingered, looked her over a dozen times before moving on, smiles on their faces that made her squirm.

Another time, she had watched him fight a man. Bane had been quick and powerful, delivering a punch to the other man's face, stomach and shoulder. He had collapsed, heaved and not gotten back up. The final memory was more recent, having happened only a little while ago. There had been a large rainstorm, water pouring from the sky like something awful would happen to the water that dared stay in the heavens. He had walked into it, smiling and opening his arms like he was welcoming a dear, dear friend. Bane had run his hands through his hair, water flicking from his fingers, and he seemed like a man truly content with that moment in time.

She sighed, wondering what she was supposed to do. Talia rolled over in place (she didn't exactly have much room to do much else; Bane was especially huge on the small cot), opened her eyes and then blinked when she saw nothing but Bane. Or, more specifically, his chest. She glanced around, trying to find a space that wasn't solid muscle.

Talia frowned. He hadn't gone to sleep without his shirt, she remembered brushing against it and then drawing back because she didn't like the idea of being _that_ close. Panic filled her chest as her mother's words filled her head.

_Don't let men take clothes off you._

She had made it very clear that when Talia lost clothing, they lost them, too. Horror at having broken one of her mother's rules made Talia want to start sobbing, then she noticed her shoulder, still completely wrapped in her sleeve. She sighed in relief, checking to see if she also had on pants. When she found that, yes, she did, Talia checked Bane (something that terrified her to no end. She was absolutely convinced he'd snap awake and pounce on her the moment she started really moving). Talia reached a hand out tentatively, heart bouncing wildly from one side of her rib cage to the other, not daring to move her head and look. Her fingers touched his side, and then...the rough hem on his pants. She heaved another sigh of relief, then snapped her hand back.

_I don't want to do that again,_ she thought, heart still hammering.

She shifted, feeling her heart slow. It was still early, the barest traces of light filtering down to the bottom of the Pit, earlier than she usually got up with her mother. Talia wondered what she was supposed to do with this man all day, every day. Clearly things were going to be different.

At this thought, she began examining the man beside her. His face was mild in sleep, but not gentle. There was a hardness that scared Talia, a hardness that said he had no qualms in resorting to violence should he see fit. But then, everyone in the Pit had that hardness, even her mother. Also like most of the other prisoners, Bane had hair on his face. She'd always been fascinated with this, had wanted to touch the scruff to see if it felt like her own hair, soft and smooth, or coarse like the fabric her clothes were made out of.

She wiggled a hand up by her face, preparing to see, then thought about what she was doing and pressed her hand under her shoulder. Maybe not yet.

Bane mumbled something, making her jump. It had been in that language she didn't really understand, English, and had only caught a couple of words. She waited for him to repeat himself so she could understand, and after a beat, he grunted "Will you stop moving?"

Talia froze, and he sighed.

"Thank you."

She nodded, then remembered she wasn't supposed to move. Talia sat still, trying to ignore her itching nose and stiff legs by taking in every detail around her. Bane's breaths were long and slow, and she tried matching them just to pass the time, but ended up gasping for breath when her much smaller lungs couldn't cope.

His arm below her made for a strange pillow. It was thicker than the one her mother had given her (the woman had placed her head directly on the cot or on her arm, just like Bane was doing now), though it was harder. But not in a bad way, she thought, closing her eyes with a yawn.

It was so warm there, under the blankets and snuggled up so close to Bane. She felt glad to be there with him, and the thought of sleeping alone in her own cell brought Talia up short. Tears stung her eyes and she buried her face unto the blankets, not wanting Bane to know she was crying.

Later, when it was a little lighter, Bane stirred, sitting up. Talia pulled her head back from his arm, sitting up as well. She watched him as he stretched, ran a hand through his hair.

He said something in English again, then her own language.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," she mumbled back, frowning when he said it yet again in English. She got the feeling that he wanted her to say it as well, but she was reluctant to. Talia looked down at her hands, trying to imitate him, which only made him laugh. She glared at him, and he waved his hand, trying to cover his smile.

"You sound so embarrassed. Don't worry, you'll pick it up soon. You're a clever girl."

She blinked at the praise, then stifled a smile.

He stood up, saying "Were you cold last night? You kept clinging to me like it was snowing." Talia frowned, not having remembered anything from last night and not entirely sure what 'snow' was.

"It's alright, little one," he said, noting her expression. "I don't mind."

They were eating when she asked what 'snow ' was.

"Snow is...ice," he said, thinking. "Like the frost we get in winter. But it's bigger and instead of appearing on the ground, it falls from the sky like rain."

She imagined flecks of ice falling from the sky with the same speed as rain and winced. No _wonder_ he had thought she had clung unto him. With a thing like that, anyone would.

"It falls slower than rain, though," he said, banishing the previous idea from her head. "It's soft, gentle and completely white. It'd be lovely, were it not so cold."

"How come I haven't seen it?"

"Because it does not snow here, little one."

"So how..." she began asking, then realized how he must have seen it. The words sent Talia's mind spinning. Bane had been _outside_ the Pit? She'd thought everyone had been born there, like her! Some of these people, maybe all of them, had actually come from a land where they had a thing like snow, and who_ knew_ what other wonders. Supplies weren't dropped down on a rope, people might not fight over wood and new blankets, but have enough to go around.

She pressed her hands against her head, trying to process this sudden possibility.

Bane laughed again, ruffling what little hair she had (her mother had cut it all off a few weeks earlier), and Talia decided that she liked his laugh. It wasn't hard or scary like the other ones she'd heard, but actually amused. And even thought it was small, a chuckle, really, it made him seem warm, more friendly.

Later, Talia watched him exercise. He did pull ups and crunches and push ups, and she couldn't figure out why. When she had asked, Bane had grunted that he couldn't let himself slide into slothfulness. She had frowned at him, falling back on the cot and wondering why he used such weird, big words. He stopped doing pull ups at this, walking towards her. He crouched by the cot, holding her gaze when she lifted her head to stare at him (she still wasn't quite comfortable with him being close to her).

"It means I don't want to get lazy," he panted, repeating the last word in English. He had done this all day, and even though Talia had forgotten several of the words already, she knew more of the language than she had the day before.

"Mother and I never did all that, and we weren't lazy." She waved her hand around to encompass all the exercising he'd already done, and he smirked, still panting slightly. Sweat glimmered on his face and bare chest as he wiped the back of his hand along his forehead.

"No, you were too busy being watchful and afraid. That takes much more energy."

He was about to move away when she grabbed up her courage. Talia had been wanting to ask this question all day, the one favor she _needed_.

"Uhm, Bane, can we...can we go back to my cell?" she asked, afraid to meet his eyes. He watched her, she could feel it, and asked "Why?"

"I have some stuff back there, and I want to get it."

"Alright."

The words shocked her. _Alright._ He was just going to let her _go?_

"We should leave now, if we want anything to be left. The other prisoners no doubt went in the moment it was clear, but there might be something."

She nodded and he wiped himself down with a spare rag. Bane pulled on his shirt, unlocked the cell and closed it behind her. He didn't carry her as he had the day before, nor did he hold her hand like her mother had, but Talia still had that feel of safety.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, noticing the way he walked. He was confident, like he could dam rivers and fall buildings and pull down stars if he felt like it. Bane slouched like the Pit bored him, like the people inside were ants scurrying at his feet. Talia noticed the way he watched everything, though. His eyes were bright, drinking in details as though he was about to employ them in some amazing, brilliant plan.

Talia dropped her eyes, cowed by such an intense being. It felt like she had a tiger walking at her side, large and powerful, able to steal your life in a single breath, but was far too uninterested in your very existence to bother. She noticed the way the other inmates regarded him as well. They knew he may have been calm now, but he could so calmly puncture a lung with one well placed blow.

_I'm lucky he saved me,_ she thought, eyes on her dirt stained feet.

Neither one of the spoke as they walked to her former cell, her too nervous to say anything and he seemingly content to silence. In the entire time Talia had known Bane, she didn't really remember him with a group of people, talking and joking and trying to dispel the misery by making endless noise. No, he was one of the solitary types, the ones that were perfectly content to sit back and rely on their own hands.

Talia found herself slowing as she neared the cell. Bane kept walking at the same pace, making it clear that he wasn't about to stop and coddle her. She bit her lip, thinking that had he been her mother, he would have slowed, taken Talia's face in his hands and whispered so softly that it was alright, Talia had nothing to fear because he would protect her with every last breath in his body.

But her mother had no breath in her body anymore. She wasn't even in the Pit. Earlier that morning, Talia had watched the corpse fastened to a rope and carried up by the group of people responsible of providing the Pit with supplies. The chants of '_Fallen! Fallen! Fallen!' _had alerted them to the death.

The cell door was slightly open when they reached it, and Talia suddenly questioning her desire to go in. She glanced at Bane, still hoping for comfort, but he just looked at her as if saying 'We came for a reason. Now go in before I get irritated.'

Clenching her fists, Talia walked in, slipping past the iron door. It creaked as Bane opened it a little for himself, but she was deaf to it, staring around at the place that had been her home just hours ago. All that had changed in a few, breathless seconds.

It didn't look like her old cell. There weren't any blankets on the cot (the others would have probably taken that, too, had it not been bolted to the floor), and the small amount of food and water her mother had managed to store up had been stolen as well. Her eyes searched the cell, still looking, still hoping.

Talia could feel Bane watching her as she stood in the middle of the cell, eyes scanning each section. She quietly walked over to the corner, picking up a left over shirt. It was hers, one of two spares. She turned and was about to say something when she gasped, eyes having finally caught sight of something important. She rushed over to the cot, fingers scrabbling at the dirt.

There it was, small, faded and dirty, probably the only trace of her mother that Talia was likely to ever find. An orange hair scarf, still smooth to the touch. Talia hugged it to her chest, wishing her mother were still here.

"What is it," Bane asked softly, but she didn't want to turn around, didn't want to give up this last tiny moment between her and her mother. But then his hand was on her shoulder, turning to her he could see. She raised her eyes to him, noticing that he had knelt beside her, and he ran a portion of the scarf through his fingers. For a horrible moment, she was convinced he would take it from her, but then Bane looked up at her face, eyes passive as he let go.

"Would you like me to tie it around your wrist?"

She hesitated, knowing she'd have to let go, but nodded, allowing him to take it. Talia watched his hand as he wrapped it deftly around and around (it nearly took up her entire forearm, as opposed to her wrist), then tied it tight.

"There," he said, pushing himself back to his feet. "Is there anything else you want to look for?"

"No," she whispered, bending over to grab the shirt she had dropped. They turned to leave, and Talia finally dared to do what she'd wanted the entire trip down; reached up and slipped her hand into his. Bane glanced down, surprised at her action, but he didn't say anything, merely adjusted his grip and held her hand tight.

Halfway to their cell, he scooped her up into his arms. She gasped and grabbed at his sleeves, staring around at him, trying to figure out why he'd picked her up. He pressed her face into his shoulder like he had the day before, but she wasn't screaming or crying this time.

"Breathe through the scarf," he whispered to her, and she pressed her arm to her face, turning around to stare at what had him worried. He immediately pushed her head back down so that her eyes barely peeped over his shoulder, but she was too nervous to protest

A group of diseased men were being carted to the doctor's cell, lying limp on their makeshift stretchers, skin looking wretched and faintly yellow. They were all moaning softly, an eerie sound that made the hair on the back of Talia's neck stand on end. She stared, transfixed with horror as one cracked open an eye, weakly raising a hand to her. She shut her eyes before she could see any more.

The diseased men were something everyone was afraid of. In one breath, they held more power than all of the best fighters combined, the power to make you vomit and catch a fever and gain sores and event eventually die. Apparently all it took was one direct breath, one second of eating after them to gain this sickness, which was why most of the men wore scarves around their faces when out and about.

When Bane and Talia had gone out initially, hardly anyone was about, preferring to lounge around in the shade of their cells rather than stand in the desert sun. It was also probably the reason why the diseased men were being shipped just then, to avoid as much human contact as possible.

Once the two of them were far enough away, Bane ripped the rags from his face, grumbling darkly. It was mostly in English, but Talia could pick out a few words.

"What is it?" she mumbled from his shoulder, and he grunted, finding the words.

"It's just that we'll have to wash our clothes now, and I don't want to spend all that time gathering water."

Talia nodded - a lack of water was hardly an absurd concept in the Pit. If you were lucky, like Bane, a tiny vein of water creeped down the wall of our cell, seeping through the rocks so it could then be collected in water skins and whatever else a prisoner had to hold water. Bane's trickle of water wasn't very large and would take some time to have enough to wash anything.

When they reached the cell, he immediately began collecting the water, setting a bowl in place. Bane pulled out a tiny root and a razor (one of the only kinds of blade prisoners were allowed to have, though Talia didn't know why), slitting it open and dunking it into the small puddle of water. Bane rubbed at the root, producing a faint, sweet-smelling lather. Talia watched with wide eyes and edged closer. Her old cell hadn't had the luxury of a water vein, and she'd never seen someone do this before.

Bane pulled off his shirt and tossed it into the bowl, then pointed at her.

"Put your shirt in, little one."

She hesitated, remembering her mother's words. She shied back plucking at her sleeves, making Bane sigh.

"It's for your own good! Do you want to take the chance of dying?"

Talia shook her head, looking at the cell door.

"It's not you," she said after a moment, "I just...what if they see me and...come get me?"

Bane nodded, eyes considerate. He got up and grabbed the blanket off the cot, dropping it on her head.

"Here, change into your other shirt under this."

Talia pulled off her shirt, being very careful to stay under the blanket. She made a small opening for her hand, and held the shirt out to Bane before changing into the shirt she had found in her old cell. Bane didn't say anything when she pulled the blanket away, merely gave her a look that was part amusement and part exasperation, putting her shirt into the water. When both their shirts were adequately clean, he hung them up on the bar he had used for pull ups, letting them dry.

He turned back to her, eyes dark and unreadable and dark.

"You know I'd never let anyone hurt you, right?" he asked, and Talia lowered her eyes, frowning.

Habit demanded that she say no, she didn't know that, she could never know that because he was a man and her mother had said over and over never to trust one. Yet her own experiences with him said that she could. Bane had this feel about him, one that told her that he was honest and would never lie to Talia, especially never to hurt her.

She bit her lip, then slowly nodded. Bane tilted his head, breaking into a small smile.

_You'll be safe if you just trust me,_ that smile said, and after a moment, Talia gave him one that said she believed him.

**_AN Gosh, I love showing Talia quietly come out of her shell and trust Bane. It was quite the challenge to write in Talia's POV, because she's still a kid and has those rather silly moments when she's trying to understand and isn't quite getting there :)_**


	4. a few adjustments

**_AN Wow, it's been a while. I'd like to say I have some special reason for having such a long pause (especially since this chapter has been fully written for almost a week now), but I don't XD I'm just lazy._**_** Thank you so much to the attention this story has received, it's really breath taking :)**_

The hollow, desperate sound of rainfall woke Bane. He gasped awake, heart thumping to a slower, less elegant melody than the rain. He half sat up, arm pinned down by Talia, who shifted and mumbled in sleep. It had been days since he'd rescued her, and Talia had taken a while to adjust but she was now acting like the life she led with Bane was the only one she'd ever known.

He glanced around, arm twisted awkwardly so as not to wake her, and he finally flopped back down, sighing slightly. The rain fell like it wanted to fill the Pit and carry the prisoners to freedom, but even the heaviest storm never managed to create much more than a muddy wash that barley topped their feet. Still, a blessing was a blessing, despite the traitorous hope that trailed along behind it.

Bane's thoughts slipped by, thoughts on hope, on people climbing the wall of the Pit, taking care of Talia, the next time food was to be lowered and just how much he'd need to get now that there were two of them.

It was strange, he thought after a moment, how quickly she had forced him to change. Every day he'd get up, he'd feed her, watch over her, talk to her, explain things and teach things to this one little soul. He never would have guessed that a person needed so _much._ New found respect of Talia's mother, the warrior princess crashed over him day after day, now that he was filling her shoes. She had given _so much, _her time, energy and health had gone into birthing and nursing this child, then there was teaching her to walk and speak and keep her spirits up and how to play and how hide and watch. And, of course, hiding what gender Talia truly was. Bane would never have been able to do all that. He'd already been given the groundwork, and yet he was _still _finding it extremely difficult to maintain Talia.

But...it was worth it. Feeling her relax into trusting him, seeing one of her rare, rare smiles and simply seeing her live and breathe was a breath-taking thing. The brief times he'd watched her before her mother's death, had truly _watched,_ Talia had always been masking everything with anxiety and tension. Bane's presence combined with her trust in him allowed her to be more unguarded, so she could openly laugh and play and just be a child, because she knew he was there, ready to protect her.

He had never before seen the point in having a companion, not among back stabbing crooks that would sell him out at the first hint of bettered prospects. Talia, though, _couldn't_ betray him, not only because she'd be betraying her life as well, but because he didn't think Talia had a bone so cruel in her body.

Not yet, anyways.

However innocent and true she was now, the Pit would rob her of that in a few short years.

He stared at the ceiling of his cell, listening to the rain and feeling Talia turn quietly beside him, sighing in sleep. Bane closed his eyes, drifting into a doze until Talia suddenly squawked and flailed, bolting up right and nearly making Bane's heart stop. His first, terrible thought had been that somehow the other men had broken in and grabbed her. A moment of observation proved this paranoid thought false, thank the skies.

He stared at Talia, who was panting and frowning, looking thoroughly confused. Then she reached up, brushing something away from her forehead.

"It's _water,_" she said, sounding indignant and surprised. Bane laughed, shaking his head at her.

"It's cold!" she protested, pouting and folding her arms. "I don't even know where it-" Talia seemed to notice the rain pour beyond their cell, then closed her mouth with a little 'Oh'.

Bane sighed, getting up now that his arm was free. Talia flopped back down, resting her head of the pillow while he pulled out breakfast. He grunted with irritation when he saw how empty the bag was. Even under their meager rations, the food was disappearing quickly with two mouths.

"What is it?" she asked with a yawn, and he showed her the bag.

"It's almost empty, and the rations were supposed to come today," he explained, and she nodded, frowning darkly. Rations were never lowered when it rained, as the risk of the men attending the Pit slipping and plummeting to their deaths were far too high. Besides, no one in their right mind would trade the blessed comfort of their home for the merciless wash coming from the skies. At least, no one on the surface.

Bane glanced down to the bottom of the Pit, where men were standing directly in the down pour, beatific smiles on their faces, arms open as if ready for an embrace. His smile was dark as he looked away, because things were so, so different in the Pit. Rain was a wonderful blessing, even if mold and sometimes disease came with it, because it meant an unlimited amount of water for at least a couple days, a worry removed from the prisoner's monstrous list.

"We should go down soon," he murmured, and Talia's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Go where?"

"Down there," he said, gesturing at the bottom level of the Pit. She frowned as she took the half of a seed cake he offered her.

Seed cakes were a palm sized mish mash of spare grain, miscellaneous seeds and the odd dried berry if they were lucky. They tasted like dry grain and dirt (Bane was fairly sure that it was a key ingredient, these days) and were hard to get down, even with water. They filled your stomach, though, and gave you enough strength to make it through the day. If the new supplies didn't come quickly, however, even the seed cakes would be gone and they'd have nothing but water. Bane hated it when that happened, as the lack of food meant you were forced to mostly sleep all day and forget your lack of strength and eternal hunger. He also didn't want to see Talia go through that, though he highly doubted this would be a first for her, should it come to it.

"What?" he asked, noticing that her frown had intensified, and Talia shrugged, glancing at her hands.

"Won't we get sick?" she asked after a pause, and he shook his head.

"Only if you stay in the water for a long time, and don't dry of afterwards."

"Oh," she said, looking a little relieved.

"I think we should have a fire tonight," he added, and Talia perked a little.

"Really? Can I try lighting it?" she asked, eagerness making her voice squeak.

"You can try," he said, smiling.

"Mother and I didn't get to light fires very often, " she said, fiddling with a seed that had come loose from her half of the seed cake. "And I never got to light one, but she let me feed it!"

"Did you like that?" he asked, and she nodded, eyes bright at the memory.

"It just...felt alive!" she gushed, leaning forward. "It felt alive, and I was keeping it that way!"

Bane nodded, thoughtful.

"I know exactly how that feels, little one," he murmured, resting a hand on her head as he passed.

There was something irresistibly fulfilling in keeping another being alive, something that gave you a strange, bolstering feeling of satisfaction when you laid down and felt its tiny little breaths.

He wondered how he'd feel should he ever lose the sensation of her breathing beside him every night, losing _her_ because he wasn't good or fast or strong enough. Bane shoved these thoughts away, because each time they came, he felt a little worse, the desire to be sick becoming a little stronger.

"Come on, little one," he said, and she slid off the cot, hurrying to reach his side. On the walk down, they spoke in English. Talia was getting better by the day, though her accent was heavy and she still didn't understand all of what he said, waiting for him to either supply the word she needed or to rephrase his sentence.

When they reached the bottom, Talia hung back, holding onto a loose fold in his pant leg. He shooed her from out behind him, walking into the rain. Talia hesitated, then stepped in after him, a shy smile on her face.

"Like it?" he asked, having to raise his voice over the noise and she nodded, a grin flitting across her face.

There were about five others there with them, tending to bowls to collect water or washing off clothes or blankets. Seeing them, Bane felt his heart sink. He glanced at Talia, realizing something. The men all had their shirts off. He himself had been about to pull his own off, habit making his hands move before he thought about it. But then there was Talia, shirt still on, completely soaked.

In the Pit, the men always removed their shirts when they worked, bathed or when they were sick. The women, however, kept all their clothing on whenever possible, scowling and smacking at hands that tried to do otherwise.

Could they get away with Talia leaving her shirt on? Surely no one would assume she was actually a girl because she didn't strip down. To the best of Bane's knowledge, everyone except for the doctor, the old woman and he himself thought she was a boy, and had nothing to suggest otherwise. No...No one would guess because of a single shirt, not now anyways. But what about later? When Talia was a little bit older and physical changes were noticed? Sharp eyes would see it, and sharper memories would recall little inconsistencies.

He bit his cheek in frustration. They couldn't risk it, but he didn't want to do this to her, either. She had just barely begun to trust him as it was.

"Little one," he whispered, turning to her. Talia's eyes were on him as he bent down in front of her.

"You need to take your shirt off." She frowned, eyes wide ad he realized just how many different frowns this girl had to give.

"Why?" she asked, voice tense, and he sighed.

"Because the others, they might realize you a girl if you don't. A boy wouldn't hesitate to take their shirt off, but if you wear it much longer they might begin to question you."

She bit her lip, then he added "I'll not let anyone hurt you."

Talia nodded after a moment, then began taking her shirt off self-consciously. Bane turned his back on her, not feeling uncomfortable at the thought of watching her change despite the fact that she was just a little girl and he had nothing indecent to think about her. He scowled, removing his own shirt roughly. He had been right. Even the most innocent of things became perverted in the Pit.

_Hopefully her innocence won't be taken too soon,_ he thought, running a hand over his face.

There was a tug on his pant leg, and he glanced down at Talia, who was nervously clutching her shirt to her chest. _Now what? _she seemed to be asking, and he shrugged.

"Wash off," he said simply, and Talia looked down, hesitantly running her hand through her hair, loosening the dirt and grime that had managed to collect there.

Bane began cleaning himself off, hurrying and casting uneasy glances at the others. A few more men had joined them, and Bane felt more and more eyes landing on both him and Talia. He knew what foul whispers were echoing around the Pit, knew what everyone thought. He was Bane, one of the recluses that cared for no one but himself, and yet he had chosen to grab up this little boy to provide him some gruesome entertainment despite all of the effort it would take to keep this child alive. Hisses and catcalls followed him whenever he left his cell, something Talia hadn't noticed, thankfully, (though he imagined that they were as common to her as the chalky dust covering everything down in the Pit) probably not understanding the jokes and nasty comments tossed in his direction. No wonder he was never seen in the arms of the prostitutes that had been imprisoned over the last few years, he liked boys, young ones at that.

He longed to snap back at them, say that he'd never be caught dead with _those_ women, the ones that didn't respect themselves enough to dissuade savages from pawing at their clothes.

They'd called out to Bane once or twice, which had admittedly surprised him the first few times. Despite the fact that he had gained a reputation of breaking people's arms (he preferred breaking ribs, but he had broken a man's arm. _Once_. Apparently the threat had stuck), these desperate, _disgusting_ women had tried luring him into their arms. His incredulity had barely stalled his immediate decision - he should never allow himself to linger near them, else their stupidity would spread and he would find himself brained in the dust somewhere.

Talia glanced around, still uneasy. She had bathed just as quickly as Bane, seemingly resigned to her partial nudity. The lack of any assault also appeared to have reassured her that nothing terrible would happen, which he was only thankful for.

She suddenly gave a strangled yelp, clinging to Bane's leg and burying her face in his thigh. He was instantly alert, eyes searching for an attacker yet finding none. He stared at her in confusion, and after a moment, she raised her eyes, looking horrified and embarrassed.

"What?" he asked, the English sounding hard in his ears. Talia raised a hand by her face, pointing ever so slightly to her right. Bane looked and almost burst out laughing from disbelief.

Another inmate was bathing before them, utterly naked. Bane hadn't thought anything of it, so the man wanted to wash the lower half of his body as well, so what? Talia apparently didn't think it so benign. Her eyes were terrified as she again hid her face in his sodden pant leg, and Bane rolled his eyes. He would have thought she'd almost stepped on a scorpion the way she'd leaped towards him.

"Are you done?" he asked, and Talia mumbled something into his leg. Bane frowned, ducking down beside her, trying to peer into her downcast eyes.

"Can we leave?"

"Sure, little one. We'll go back to the cell and start that fire."

She smiled slightly, but as he stood up he could tell that seeing that man naked had truly shaken her. They headed back to their cell, and while Talia didn't hold his hand, she remained close enough so that he always felt her brushing his side.

Their cell was a quiet comfort, and he gratefully locked the door behind him. Talia was already searching for her spare shirt, pulling it on with a satisfied smile. She tugged off her soaked pants, shirt hanging down around her knees, and Bane noticed that she no longer had any qualms in changing before him.

He busied himself with pulling out wood for their fire, a small pile that had been carefully collected over the past weeks. Wood was a precious commodity in the Pit, jealously grabbed at when it came with the supplies. It was an unspoken rule that once you left the main clearing of the bottom level of the Pit with the firewood in your arms, it was yours. Everyone in the Pit knew the precarious balance, and that stealing something so important was inviting absolute chaos and no one would likely survive very long. And even though they hated it, the honest fact was that everyone relied on everyone else down in the Pit. A single person could never survive in that hell hole.

Talia moved closer, eagerly watching as he began laying out the sticks. He quietly explained the steel and flint to her, and Talia attempted to light the fire, an irritated look on her face when she failed. When she finally did produce sparks they were small and not enough to catch, but Talia seemed sated.

"Let me try," he said, taking the flint from her.

In another few minutes the fire was lit and the both of them were dutifully building it. She was attentive to everything he said, explaining just how big they could allow it to get and what was best for fuel. Her large blues eyes were so serious as he told her about oil and grease and how fires could so easily spring out of hand. Talia nodded, eyes intense as she watched his hands as though her very life depended on this quick lesson.

They hung their wet clothes over the fire to dry, though Bane remained in his wet pants. He wasn't exactly sure how Talia would react to him being naked, and didn't especially want to find out. A bit of discomfort would be better than losing the precious progress he'd made with her, of that he was sure.

The two of them munched on a small portion of what little food Bane had left, drifting into silence. He liked this part of their relationship. Talia didn't need conversation to be at ease with him. Bane had the feeling that she watched him just as much as he watched her, and knew that after a while they might not even need words to understand each other.

Talia stared into the fire, eyes distant. She was shivering slightly, even though a while earlier she had gotten up and wrapped the blanket around herself and she was only a foot away from the flames. The rain had managed to cut the heat of the day, but perhaps it had done its job a little too well.

"Talia," he murmured, and she jerked her head up to look at him, clicking back into their dark reality. "Are you cold?"

She vaguely nodded, eyes sliding to the fire before she forced herself to stare at him. Bane wondered what she had connected in her head to the allure of the flames.

He opened his arms, a question, really, and after a moment Talia shifted, crawling over to him. She climbed in to his lap, careful of where she placed each part of her body before settling into him.

"Hold on," he murmured, pulling the blanket from around her. Talia stiffened, waiting, waiting, always worried as to what his motives were despite everything he'd done for her. Bane had learned to accept this, and it no longer irritated him like it had in the beginning. That was just Talia's way, and he doubted that she'd ever grow out of it. Not while she was in the Pit, anyways.

"You'll be warmer," he explained, and Talia nodded, allowing him to settle the blanket around the two of them. She relaxed into him, even though he wasn't wearing a shirt and she no pants, even though he was one of the fully grown men the warrior princess had so rigorously warned her about. As Talia fell asleep against his arm, Bane felt a soft glow of pride at having earned this little girl's trust so completely. He held her to him, absently stroking her arm.

He would let her sleep. Any moment that she could run away from this nightmare were precious, precious things that he'd never let anyone steal.

**_AN I liked this chapter as well, because Talia's truly come to trust Bane. Now we'll have to see how they deal with life after this._**


	5. settle in

_**AN OH MY GOSH I AM SO SORRY THIS IS SO FREAKIN' LATE. Some of it was my fault, but some of it was also school and homework and, you know, life. Life can be such an inconvenience at times XD At least this chapter is quite a bit longer than the others.**_

_**But thank you, thank you, thank you to the people who reviewed! I am so glad you all like this story, because I have a very special place in my heart for this story as well. And anons! Oh, darlings, I want so much to be able to respond to each and every one of you, but I can't, so just know that I love you just as much as the other reviewers, and thank you just as much (but you should totally get an account, because then I can talk to you about all of these wonderful thoughts you give me)!  
**_

Talia sat on the floor of their cell, quietly playing with a small pile of rocks she'd collected. Bane was laying on the cot, arm hanging off the edge, brushing the dirt below. He was dozing in and out, the lack of food starting to take effect. It had been three days now, or maybe four, Talia couldn't remember. She had slept so much lately that the days and nights and days and nights had muddled into one confusing dream.

Talia was familiar with what you were supposed to do when the food ran out, sit still, let your mind wander all over the earth, out of the Pit, into the skies and across the mountains that apparently were nearby, so that you were dancing in the stars and stroking clouds, running through palaces filled with food. And, of course, you were supposed to sleep as much as possible. But that made Talia ache from laying down for so long, and then she became grumpy because she wanted to stretch out and run and play, but she hardly had the energy to walk down to the bottom of the Pit.

Some prisoners tried to combat the hunger by eating the rats or scorpions or snakes that were down in the Pit with them, but her mother had warned her countless times never to do this, else it would make Talia terribly sick. A few of the more desperate ones even ate the dirt, though they were usually found vomiting some while later. Thankfully, Bane had a few tricks up his sleeve to keep them from such desperate measures. He had collected water continuously for the first few days, which filled their stomachs but did nothing for their strength. He also had taught her that that certain mosses and lichen growing on the Pit walls could be eaten, though they tasted bitter and dry. Talia paid special attention to his words, the knowledge an honest distraction from the nightmare she was living.

And...Talia had the feeling that someday, she'd have to survive on her own. It was something she couldn't get rid of, not since her mother had died. Talia felt the fear that everyone, no matter how kind and good they seemed, would leave her, somehow. Whenever she thought of Bane disappearing from her life, Talia felt like hiding from sight and being sick, all at once.

She blinked at the rocks she was playing with, trying to keep them from going fuzzy. She pressed her hands to her head, trying to ignore the hollow pain in her stomach and closing her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time there had been such a long wait in between supplies drops. How long had it been, how long...

Talia pressed her face into her mother's scarf. She always felt a little bit better with the orange fabric against her skin, like her mother was right there, like nothing had happened.

_Hush my little dove,_ she would whisper to Talia sometimes, when she had a fever or there had been no water or if Talia had been hurt, _hush, hush, Mother's here. You are good and safe, little dove, because Mother is here to protect you._

A loud voice broke Talia's thoughts, making her jump and whip her head around. A group of men, about three, had paused outside of their cell. One of them, the leader, was speaking, earning harsh laughs from his friends. Talia didn't understand them, but Bane was sitting up, eyes dark. The man switched to English, a jab Talia was familiar with. Switching to a person's native language was generally a sign of respect or good will, but in instances like these it was intense disrespect, an attack meant only for that specific person.

Talia listened, afraid for reasons she wasn't sure of. She tightened the grip on her scarf, reminding herself she was safe. The cell was locked, Bane was there, those men were on the other side of the bars. She was _safe._

"Well, look at this!" the man said, voice still too loud. He tugged down the scarf wrapped around his face, revealing that he was Eyphah, a bully that roamed the Pit. There wasn't much special about him, except he had eerie mismatched eyes. One was a pale blue, while the other was a washed out brown. What made him dangerous was the fact that he was a skilled speaker and knew how to rile up a crowd, slipping into people's thoughts and turning them to his will.

Talia was hardly surprised that they were in such good spirits - they were notorious for forcing others to give them food on top of the unfair amount they had already taken from the supplies when it initially came. It was likely that they still had a decent amount of food left while everyone else was starving, easy prey simply thrown at their feet.

"Bane, a man of action lying down! What...too weak to...that kid?"

Talia frowned, not catching everything he said. But the look in his eye and the way Bane snarled, she could tell it had been terrible. She shrank back from the man's gaze, holding her breath until Eyphah laughed and walked away, the others in tow.

Bane was still snarling, cords in his neck sticking out. Talia bit her lip, wanting to do something to comfort Bane but not knowing how. Tentatively, she crawled over to him, placing a hand on his arm. He looked down at her, blue eyes dark and full of ice. Their expression was so intense and foreign to Talia that for a moment, she forgot her hunger. Bane may have been hard at time, but nothing like this. She wanted to pull back, wanted to hide from this wrathful being, but after a moment his eyes softened, and he pressed a hand to her head.

"What...what did he say?" she asked after a moment, and Bane mouth pressed into a hard line.

"His words don't deserve your ear, little one," he said, the words gentle while his voice was hard. She wished she could make him forget what Eyphah had said, could wash away all the nasty things people whispered around them, just wanting him to feel better.

"Tell me one of your stories," she said softly, and he watched her reluctant to let go of his anger. "Please," she added, and he sighed, laying back down on the cot.

"There is a place, far, far away, that is nothing but water," he began, and Talia settled, head resting against the frame of the cot. She held Bane's hand, which he let dangle over the edge as before. He spoke so softly, painting a beautiful, breath taking picture in her head. They weren't really stories, more descriptions of everything Bane had seen before ending up in the Pit. It had started with him mentioning something beyond the Pit, and Talia had worked up the nerve to ask for a full explanation, which then turned into a story of animals with claws or wings or large innocent eyes, buildings tall enough to block out the sky, plants growing in colors that she could only dream of. She loved listening to his stories, craved the details of life outside, under the sun. Bane's voice became softer more rhythmic as he explained what an ocean was and things called fish could breath underwater, and some of the tension went out of his shoulders and face.

Talia didn't just enjoy Bane's stories because they provided an escape for her, but also because he escaped as well.

* * *

A dull humming woke Talia, making her jerk upright in Bane's arms. Immediately her head spun, making her press her hands to her temples.

"Bane, Bane, what's going on?" she asked, words slurring. She turned her head, trying to find his face amidst the large splotches of color obscuring her vision. His voice was gentle when he spoke.

"Easy, easy little one, not so fast. See, nothing's wrong."

Talia blinked, the world fading back into view. Banes face was a few inches away from hers, weariness in his eyes. She looked around them, seeing that they were on the cot, he sitting with his back to the wall, she in his lap. Normally Talia would wiggle her way out of his arms once she was fully awake, her mother's chastisements still to fresh in her mind to allow herself a few more seconds of blessed comfort, but she was too tired now. Too tired to think, too tired to worry, almost too tired to sleep, but there was something she wanted to know, something... She remembered after a moment, the thick haze of hunger retreating a few steps.

"What's...what's happening? What's that noise?" It reminded Talia of wasps, but it was a sleepy buzz, not the angry kind was used to hearing.

"The food will be dropped soon," he explained, and she perked a little.

"Really?"

"Yes. We can hear the party above."

Talia was excited to see how Bane would go about getting the food for them. Her mother had slunk up in the main frenzy and grabbed whatever had been dropped or neglected in a tussle, occasionally going to the doctor for what little he could live without. There was no doubt in Talia's mind that Bane would take an infinitely more direct route, though she didn't know his style. Would he batter the others out of the way, use his size to advantage and reach what others couldn't, or intimidate them from going for the prize items?

"When will you go?" she asked, settling back into his arms.

"Soon. You'll have to stay here, though."

Even though Talia couldn't think straight, fear clenched her stomach. She should have expected this, her mother had done the same, left Talia locked in their cell or with the doctor, but Talia didn't want to leave Bane. The thought of him never coming back hit her again, something that scared her stiff. Before, with her mother, the thought of her dying had been so surreal, but now that she was actually dead...

Bane seemed to understand the quality of her silence and laughed, a distant, empty sound.

"What, upset you can't keep me at your side for forever?" The humor left his voice as his next words turned dark. "You..know I can't get the food and watch after you at the same time."

Talia did knew this, knew that he was hungry and weak, and if there was someone a little more well fed, a little faster...

"I know," she mumbled, then sat up. Hands shaking with hunger, she pulled up Bane's shirt. He watched her, curious as she stared at his torso, brushing her fingers over his prominent ribs. She used to think that warriors like Bane were always fed, always had firewood or a thicker blanket or any of the other tiny luxuries found in the Pit. After having lived with him, though, she knew differently.

Talia raised her own shirt, just enough to see her own ribs, her own shrunken stomach.

No, she thought, things were horrible in the Pit no matter who you were

Bane left soon after that. He set a hand on her head, ducking his face in close to hers.

"I'll come back, Talia," he whispered, and she looked into his face, terrified that maybe something would prove him wrong. "No matter what, I will _always_ comeback."

"Me too," she said, because that just seemed like the kind of thing you said after such a promise. Bane broke into a smile, then straightened.

"Don't worry, I'm locking the door. No one should bother you, they're all either too busy getting the food or starving. You can sleep, if you want."

She nodded, holding her mother's scarf up to her face to keep him from seeing the way her lip trembled. Bane nodded back, then pulled the hood up over his face. He left the cell without another word or look, though Talia kept her eyes on him for as long as she could, pressing her face between the cell bars. When Bane turned a corner, she slowly backed away, climbing onto the cot.

Talia laid down, pulling the blankets almost up to her eyes. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle watching the scuffle for food, scared that every push or shove would start a brawl and Bane would be killed. There was no point in trying to distract herself with any of her games - Talia had no real energy left to sit upright or even think. She closed her eyes, waiting for Bane to return.

The clang and creak of the cell door woke her a while later. She sucked in a breath, turning her eyes to the door to see Bane. Satisfied, Talia settled back into the cot. He walked in, closing the door behind him. Talia felt him set a hand on her side, murmuring "Wake up, little one." She pulled the blankets up a little higher around her face, not wanting to have to listen and _do_ anything.

There was a vague thump as he set something down, she didn't care what, but hopefully it would keep Bane distracted and not talking to her.

He again set a hand on her side, voice gentler than before.

"Come now, Talia. You need to get up, you need to eat."

Bane picked her up, resting her on his hip as he walked to whatever it was he'd brought in...no, no, she knew this, it was food. Something stirred in her, this was good news, she knew that much, but her lethargy beat out her hunger.

He searched through the pack, pulled something out and returned tot he cot. Bane propped Talia against himself, then held something to her face. It took her a moment to focus on it, then she realized it was a dried berry.

"Eat it," Bane told her, and after a moment Talia opened her mouth. He fed her in silence, and after a few minutes she summoned the strength to feed herself. The intense hunger was coming back, though Bane didn't let her eat too much, saying it would make her sick. Only once she had eaten and drunk her fill did Bane eat.

Talia drifted back to sleep in Bane's arms, feeling a little bit better.

The next few days were better for everyone. The food sparked something inside the prisoners that burst into the flame of escape. A handful of men all tried to climb the unforgiving walls, the shouts and prayers of '_Rise! Rise!_' pushing them up and up and then finally letting them drop, the rope snapping and slamming them into the rock wall.

Talia stared wide eyed at each man's trip, murmuring the words, clutching at the cell bars, straining every part of her body in her desire to see this man succeed, then sagging as she watched him fall

Bane never watched. He sat on the cot with his back facing the middle of the Pit or exercised or did anything to keep from seeing all of their hope gather in one vain act. Talia watched him do this over and over, trying to understand. Finally, she decided to ask. They were walking up towards the doctor's cell, hoping to trade some spare food for a few medicinal herbs. Bane's voice turned surprisingly hard when he responded.

"Why do I not want to watch fools flinging themselves at a chance they don't believe in?"

She dropped her eyes. He made the answer sound so simple and obvious that he was shocked she had even bothered asking, like she had asked what color the sky was.

"I...think it's weird. You're the only one who doesn't even look. Don't you want them to succeed?"

"Those men will never succeed," he said scornfully. Talia looked hard up at his face, trusting memory to keep her from stumbling as she walked.

It was strange, seeing Bane like this. There wasn't much showing his mood, at a glance. Someone who didn't know him very well, someone other than Talia might have noticed the edge in his voice and written it off as him seeing the whole thing as a joke. She, however, saw the way he narrowed his eyes, like he was grimacing under the head scarf, like the thought was actually paining him. Whatever bothered him about watching people attempt to climb to top of the Pit, it was deep seated.

Talia could also tell that she was about to hear him unleash his talent of people speaking. She had only seen it in action a few times, him easily settling a dispute with another prisoner or convincing them of his opinion so smoothly, so simply that it was hard to believe that there was any way of thinking other than his. It enthralled her, seeing him speak like this, and she always wondered if he'd teach this incredible skill.

"...Why?" she finally prompted, showing him that she really did want a full answer. He shrugged, glancing down at her.

"Because...they don't believe in what they are doing. They may say they do, but in their hearts they are liars, and they know it. Living in the Pit is terrible, but it is a terror they are used to, they are comfortable with. If they fall, they have a cell to go back to food to eat, a solid standing. To some, it's almost better down here."

Talia frowned, peering at him in confusion. The Pit was a prison, a terrible savage one. Surely _anything_ was better than this!

"How could it be? _Everyone_ wants to escape!"

"It's difficult to explain," he sighed, but she waited. There was practically nothing Bane had to give that Talia didn't want to hear.

"People...aren't wholly decided to something, not usually. They want something, yet they don't. Like how you want to eat every bit of food we have, but you don't because you know you have to save it for later. You want to confront someone, yet you don't because they could easily beat you. You want to climb out of this soulless hole, yet you don't because you don't know what's out there, you don't know where the escape will take you, what you'll do next. Now...imagine you are those men. Imagine that you feel safe enough to walk through the Pit alone, to fight for your own food and to speak to anyone you like."

She nodded, trying to picture that freedom. When he put things like that, the Pit sounded a little bit more tempting. But not enough to keep her from wanting to climb out at whatever cost necessary.

"And even though you are angry that you were put down here, even though you are still afraid of something the other prisoners might do, you have become comfortable with what you've got. Do you want to leave it? Do you want to take the risk of leaving everything you know, everyone you know, only to starve in the street or be brutally killed for having escaped? Could you do that, Talia?" he asked, looking down at her, eyes so intense it made her stumble. She shifted uneasily, partially because she didn't like the feel of being judged and because he never used her name in public. That was private, uttered only when there was no one around, when they were curled up on the cot, half asleep. And also...she knew she wouldn't be able to leave. Even if she were older, if she thought she'd ever make it to jumping point and possibly have a true chance of seeing the sky her mother had been under, the people, the desert, the animals and _life_ people lived outside of the Pit...

But leave the surety of her life, her routine, leave Bane...

"No," she whispered, biting her lip and feeling somewhat ashamed.

"That is why I don't watch, little one. I can't stand to see such foolishness, see people pretend to want something only to give up when it matters. There is no way these men can leave the Pit. Only a person who has absolutely nothing left can make that final leap. Otherwise, the people who try are merely tossing hope at the rest of us only to let it sour into disappointment and despair."

Talia nodded and was silent for the rest of the trip to the doctor's cell, and while Bane bargained for herbs. He'd given her a lot to think about, and that scared her. No wonder he had been reluctant to explain it to her. To do so properly would mean redefining a large part of what Talia knew and believed about people, and even then it left a lot unanswered. Bane noticed how she was acting and placed a hand on her shoulder, crouching down before her and adjusting the scarf wrapped around her face.

"Don't worry, little one. I promise you, if you ever choose to make the climb, I will be there behind you." She nodded, feeling a little more reassured.

They headed back to their cell, though Talia paused when they neared the bottom of the Pit. A few of the other children living in the Pit were playing together, openly laughing and enjoying themselves. An ache filled Talia - she'd always wanted to join them, but her mother had always refused, saying she couldn't protect Talia if someone attacked.

Talia turned to Bane, a plan forming in her head.

"Bane?" she asked, and he looked at her, suddenly on the alert with her drastic change of tone.

"Can I go play with those boys?" she asked, trying to make it seem like every bit of her being wasn't absolutely begging for him to say yes. He raised his eyebrows, expression otherwise obscured. She wasn't sure, but Talia hope (_prayed_) that he was smiling. He repeated her question, then looked at the boys. They were larger than Talia, also several years older. She knew they wouldn't protest, though. Children were few in the Pit and playmates were snatched up whenever available.

"Fine," he sighed, and she squealed, hugging his knees before tearing off to go join them. Talia glanced over her shoulder, wishing he could see her smile as he settled against the rock wall, her constant guardian.

When she neared the boys, she slowed, suddenly nervous. They noticed her after a moment, pausing in their game. One kicked a rock at her, and for a beat she was scared they were trying to scare her off, but then realized this _was_ the game, kicking small rocks back and forth. She blinked, brought her foot back, then sent the rock skipping away. They boys laughed and chased after it, and Talia grinned, running after them.

They played together without mishap for a while, until Talia got into an argument with the eldest boy. He had suddenly changed the rules, picking up the rock to keep it from being taken away. The other boy, about two years older than Talia called out in protest, but the older boy ignored him.

Talia glared at the boy, wishing she could see his full face, not just his eyes and the rags they all hid behind.

"Put it back," she ordered, pointing at the ground. He scoffed at her, saying "Make me."

His accent was similar to Talia's and her mother's, though he had a sneer she didn't like. She scowled, pulling the scarf away from her face in frustration.

"That's not fair, put it back!" She reached forward, grabbing his wrist. The boy snapped at her to get off, and when she didn't, he rammed his other fist into her face.

Talia fell back, mouth open and eyes wide from shock. Even though the blow hurt, she was too dumbfounded to scream or cry. The boy's eyes widened as well, and he pulled the rags away from his face, eyes whipping up to something beyond Talia's shoulder. She knew what he was staring at; it was Bane. He was probably terrified that Bane would come punish him for hurting Talia, as it was common that she was his. It was whispered through out the Pit, everywhere they went. _Don't mess with that one, he belongs to Bane. If you hurt the boy, who knows what that beast will do to you._

Even though they didn't know Talia was a girl, it was obvious enough that they all had noticed and were wary of getting in the way with Bane's relationship with Talia.

Talia turned to look at Bane as well, somewhat expectantly. To her even greater disbelief, he was just standing there, leaning against a boulder.

She stared at him pointedly, but Bane merely shifted as if to say '_What are you looking at me for? This isn't any of my business._' Talia looked back at the boy, still shocked. He dropped his eyes, letting go of the rock sheepishly.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I didn't mean...sorry."

The game wasn't much fun after that.

When Talia left with Bane, he tilted his head at her.

"Are you alright?"

She mumbled something under her breath, not answering him. He made a sound that seemed like a suppressed laugh, which she ignored. The walk back to the cell was quiet and cold. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with Bane at the moment. She had been punched in the face, the eye, to be specific, and he hadn't done anything about it! He'd just stood by and watched it all like he didn't know her, like she wasn't important to him. She bit her cheek, becoming angrier and angrier now that shock had ebbed away.

When Bane sat her down on the cot and tried to examine her face, Talia turned away, folding her arms sourly.

"Little one, I need to look. Keep still."

She pursed her lips, letting him look at and clean the injury. The area around her eye was tender, a Bane said that there was a tiny cut on her cheekbone.

"You're lucky," he said when he was done. "Other than the cut there's just a bruise, but he could have seriously injured your eye. "

And Bane had just _sat _there?!

He looked at her steaming, arms folded, brow crunched and mouth pursed.

"What is it?" he asked finally, the edges of a smile making her angry enough to speak.

"You didn't help me!" she snapped, words coming out louder and angrier than she expected. He raised his eyebrows, and said "You didn't need help."

"He hit me! You're supposed to protect me. You said you wouldn't let anyone hurt me!" She jumped to her feet so that she was nearly at eye level with him, who was sitting on the floor. Bane stared at her for a moment, then burst into laughter. Talia glared at then fell on him, slamming her tiny fists into his chest.

"Stop, stop, little one, listen," he said around laughs, catching her fists. Talia writhed, angry tears in her eyes as she glared at him and snapped "_Stop! Laughing!"_

He closed his mouth, holding it in before he pulled her into a hug, though a few chuckles made their way into her ear. Talia frowned as he held her, knowing that trying to pull away was a waste of effort. Instead she stood as stiff as possible, letting all her resentment ooze out of her.

"I'm sorry little one," he whispered to her, and she was a little surprised at how genuine he sounded. "I didn't mean to make you so upset. But you need to fight your own fights. What are you going to do if I'm not around and you argue with someone? I cannot be your crutch."

Talia understood, but it still made her angry how he had done _nothing_. She muttered something darkly, which made him raise his eyebrows at her, a doubtful smile on his lips.

"You what? You still think I should have thrown that boy across the Pit?" The humor faded from his eyes as he said "Talia, not everything requires revenge. Very little does. Only what is so important you know in your _soul_ it needs to be protected and remembered in such a way. And if you do fight back, try ways other than violence."

She frowned, wondering what punishment could be worse than a broken arm. Bane's eyes were dark as he said the next words.

"Very often, if you find your enemy's soul, find it, understand it and then make it _burn_ from pain...that is worse. And that can be done with words, not blows."

She stared at him, wondering where he had learned this.

"Be sure you truly want to do this, though," he warned. "Never take such a terrible task lightly. Know _exactly_ what you are doing it for, and at what cost."

_**AN I really like this chapter. It develops a lot, and I feel like it points out quite a few problems that would occur in the Pit that other authors usually skip over. In fact, one of my goals for this story is to point out all of the trials that people would have to go through in the Pit to merely survive. Survival isn't just about staying safe from the other prisoners. Sickness, starvation/water deprivation, venom from creatures like scorpions and spiders are all an issue too, which always reminds me that it's incredible anyone manages to stay alive (not to mention develop and incredible life changing relationship that is marinated in sadness, heartache and just all around tragedy).**_


	6. the terrible cold

_**AN Bleck, another long wait, but less than last time! This chapter seems to have a little less 'intense' action, but I still like it. It lays down some more good ideas.**_

After Talia's incident with the boy, Bane insisted that she exercised with him every day. He watched her carefully, making sure her form was correct and pushing her to work harder. When she asked why, he gave a smile.

"You want to let yourself be hit again?" he asked, and she flushed, shaking her head. "Then you have to be strong enough to fight back."

She nodded, still frowning.

"But why do I have to do crunches and push ups and stuff like that?" she complained. "Can't I just practice punching things?" He shook his head, resolute.

"You will thank me later. Most other prisoners aren't doing anything, but lounge about and let themselves become weak. This is an advantage you have over them should it come to a fight."

"What other advantages do I have?" she asked, stumbling over 'advantage'. Even though her English had improved immensely over the last few months, she still had trouble with a few of the words. No matter how much she tried, the words never quite sounded quite right.

"Well, you are smaller, which isn't something they are used to. You could easily slip past their guard and land a blow that could win the fight. Plus, you will be stronger than they expect if you train," he said, giving her a look. Talia groaned and flopped back on the ground, arms crossed over her eyes.

"I don't want to work."

"Hardly anyone does, little one. But we must regardless."

Living with Talia had taught Bane a number of things. Like how much planning was needed in a circumspect life, and how he'd have to be especially resourceful if he wanted both of them to have enough food to stay alive, but he was also learning a lot about people.

Before, he'd always been on his own. Bane had traveled about, doing what he had to stay alive. The crimes he committed weren't something to pass the time, there were other, easier and more tasteful things to do instead, but there were instances where it was unavoidable. If he needed to eat and there was no other choice, a vendor with a cart loaded with food would lose what he needed to get by. If he was missing shoes and the hardened, vicious desert earth was burning his feet to a blistered mess, he'd take a pair of shoes. If the shop keeper tried to stop him, Bane would dissuade them with a blow to the chest, if need be. But it had always been on his own.

When people actually did get involved, he kept himself out of their way. Too many minds or opinions or biases all working against each other would only cause a mess, or so he'd thought. When he landed in the Pit, he had truly seen no need to make friends with the other savages, and continued with his accustomed lifestyle. With Talia, though, he was not only learning how to positively interact with people, he was also refining things he'd already known. How to laugh, how to help others and what could be said or done to get them to do what he wanted. And, of course, he was learning to be defensive.

The thought had never even crossed him before saving Talia, but now every breath Bane took was laced with worry that maybe he wasn't being careful enough, that the steps he'd taken would be too little. The thought of him letting his guard down and allowing a viper to slip in, killing the precious child was something he dreaded. Bane had already been confronted by the other prisoners over Talia, each encounter shaking his confidence. Each lie he told heightened the stakes he and Talia were balancing on, and it'd only take one pulled out from under them to send them flying.

The prisoners were also becoming impatient. Once they had faced him in a group, ready to go on a frenzy.

"You've had your time," some of them had sneered. "More than, we think. Give us the brat, we did all the hard work with the mother."

Bane had remembered the warrior princess, who had probably grown up with a knife in the bindings of her beautiful clothes and the assurance that her father the warlord would protect her on her lips. She had managed to fight til it ran her ragged, surely he'd be able to take up her responsibilities. Bane would then find the words, even though they sickened him and the expressions on the other prisoner's faces drove him mad. He told them that 'the brat' needed to be saved from the indecencies of the Pit, kept pure as long as possible.

"What for?" someone had demanded once, and Bane scoffed slightly, the lies slipping out as easily as the truth had ever done.

"The child will be docile and innocent, just like he'd been with his mother. When you want to use him, though, he'll know what he's doing."

Their smiles had been repulsive when they realized what he meant. One voice, a mocking voice, cut through the throng, the coldness grabbing his attention.

"So it'd be his first time every time. Good. I was wondering what made you so attached to the little boy. Any other woman could have taught him what he needed, but this way he'll be _sure_ to satisfy," the person said, and Bane felt his stomach clench. The mismatched eyes of Eyphah stared at him, cold and clever. They had to be so, so careful around him. If they weren't, he'd figure out the trick and drag hell down upon them.

Talia's voice caught Bane's attention, pulling him away from his terrible thoughts.

"Bane?"

"Yes?"

"How did you end up in the Pit?"

He stared at her, eyebrows raised in surprise. Bane searched her face, trying to figure out what had prompted the question.

"I committed a crime and was sentenced here."

She made a face at him, clearly wanting a more detailed explanation than that.

"I attacked the friend of an important politician's son, or so they say."

"What really happened?"

"The man challenged me to a fight and I refused. He attacked, I beat him. When he managed to drag himself off, the coward claimed I mugged him to save face. A day later, I was here."

"That's not fair!" she exclaimed, sitting upright and looking outraged. "But you didn't attack him, he lied! He should get in trouble, not you!"

"Things rarely work out like that, little one," he said, brushing a hand through her hair. It was getting longer and would need to be cut soon.

"The other prisoners, their stories aren't like that, are they?"

"No," he said, a bitter laugh in his voice. "Thankfully I am not like them."

"How are you different?" she asked, tipping her head. He gave her a look, smiling as he said "You think we're the same?"

"No, no, I don't," she said hurriedly, eyes wide with the horror of having given the wrong impression. "I just...I know you're not, but I don't know why."

Bane smothered a smile, knowing it would only frustrate her further. Talia's voice had dropped low, as if she were afraid to misspeak again.

"They...are criminals, like me. They are not good people, like me. But the main difference is in character. Those people, those other prisoners, they don't care what they do, they're only interested in staying entertained or fulfilling only themselves, and this leads them to do terrible things. I may be uncivil, but I am no savage. I still have that decency left."

Talia was frowning in a way that said she didn't really understand, though she dearly wanted to. Bane searched for the words, trying to break it down more simply for her.

"The difference between me and them, Talia, is that I would save a little girl from a mob. They would be the mob."

She took a breath, considering things. After a moment, she asked another question.

"How old were you when you were put in the Pit?" Her voice was tentative as though she didn't want to bother him with even more questions, but he shrugging, showing he didn't mind.

"Sixteen." She nodded, a new frown on her face, one that said she was thinking things through.

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty-one."

She nodded, thinking over what he'd told her.

"And how old was my mother?"

"I don't know, little one. There is very little I know about her."

"What about my father?" she asked, and Bane blinked. Her father? What had brought _this _up? Talia had never mentioned her father before now, so he'd assumed that she had never thought about the man. He didn't want her to be disappointed, but what could he say? Her mother had come into the Pit pregnant, and had avoided speaking to people to the best of her ability.

"I don't know about your father, Talia."

"Mother told me about him. He has eyes like me, and she said I have his character. What does that mean?" Talia's entire face had lit up, something he hadn't really seen before. Whatever she knew about this man, it clearly made her want to live up to his image.

"It means you act like him, that you have the same important opinions."

"Oh. Mother also told me his name."

"What is it?" he asked, wondering who had managed to charm the daughter of a warlord so well. He assumed it was a guard or maybe an advisor, or even a delivery boy that frequently came to the palace. Who else could evoke such wrath from the warlord to cause him to banish his only daughter to the Pit?

"Ra's al Ghul," she told him, the hope that Bane could tell her of this man lining her voice.

He stared at her, hardly able to believe it. _Ra's al Ghul?_ The head of the _League of Shadows?_

A twinge went through him as he realized that in another life, Talia might have been regarded as a person of importance. If she and her mother hadn't been imprisoned down in this hell hole, might have grown up with her father, learning the dark ways of the League of Shadows? Or maybe lived with her mother, being raised as a capable princess?

"Did you know him?" Talia asked, seeing the look on Bane's face. She leaned forward, eyes bright.

"I know of him. He is...a very powerful man."

"Really?"

"Yes. From what I've heard...he's in command of a group of elite warriors. They keep their own form of justice." Talia had a small smile on her face, part pride, part disbelief.

"Maybe he knows about me. Maybe he'll come find me, Bane! Maybe he'll come save us!"

If it was sad to see men who didn't believe in something and yet do it anyways, it was heart breaking to see a little girl believe in something that would never happen.

"Talia," he began, not wanting to crush her hope but knowing that he had to, else it would grow and the poison her completely. "Your father most likely doesn't know you are here."

"...What? But-but Mother, she-"

"She...probably didn't have a chance to tell him about you before she was placed here. I doubt very many know."

"...Oh. I-I...oh."

Talia's voice, which had been so excited and loud moments before, was now small, hurt, unsure. Bane leaned over and pulled her to him, holding her tight.

"If he knew, he'd fine you," Bane lied gently, because that was about all he could to do make her feel better.

"If you were outside, would you come get me?" she whispered, desperation making her voice weak.

"Of course, Talia. Of course I would come save you," he said, just as soft as before, but this time, he meant every word.

Bit by bit, time passed. The blessed, if relentless, rains gave way to a dry cold that Bane hated. It wasn't like in the summer, where you could sweat or douse yourself with water, no, this dryness was the cold breath of Death itself. All water from the air seemed to have vanished, making breathing feel more like swallowing knives. Having to go to the bathroom was a trial utterly dreaded by all of the prisoners.

Talia suffered much more than he did. She was so small that the cold slid right through her, so that her fingers were almost always tinged blue and she couldn't stop shivering. Most days she was wrapped in the blankets, shuddering as she spoke with Bane. He had stalled the majority of their training over the winter, as the cold did its best to sabotage their bodies' midway through.

Nights were especially bad. They often couldn't sleep from being so cold, and sometimes Talia shook so much it would keep him awake. Bane did his best to wrap himself around her, all worries about personal space gone now, but he felt that this was a rather vain effort. Only when the sun was about to rise were they somewhat warm.

The food during the winter suffered as well. Rations were lessened due to a general lack of food, and what they did get was tasteless and usually half-frozen.

Despite this, Talia grew. She became taller, and lost some of the little softness her youth had given her. Bane also noticed that Talia was becoming stronger. Something in her had changed, and she pushed herself farther when working and sought knowledge more avidly. Bane sometimes went hoarse from telling her about the world in more detail, expounding on numbers and science and even teaching her how to spell. He suspected it had something to do with her father being Ra's al Ghul, and how she now felt pressured to live up to her mental image of him.

Once, as they were laying on the cot, desperate for sleep, she whispered in his ear.

"I'm tired, Bane," she said, breath turning a shred of cloud in the darkness.

"I know, Talia," he sighed. Everyone in the Pit was drained, the cold, lack of food and inability to sleep weighing heavily on them all. Even those that were better off like Eyphah were having trouble. "Just...try to rest."

"No, Bane," he said, and there was a new tone in her voice, firm and sad. "I'm tired of being here. I want...I want to go somewhere else."

Somehow, Bane knew she wasn't talking about changing cells or something frivolous like that. She wanted out, wanted to leave the Pit.

"Where do you want to go," he asked, and she shook her head slightly, snuggling closer to him.

"I don't know. Anywhere. I just want to leave."

Talia fell asleep quickly afterwards, but Bane stayed awake, thinking. How difficult would it be for him to make the climb while carrying her? The thought was immediately answered—she would not only be too heavy, but she would also restrict his movement no matter where she was placed. And she certainly couldn't make the climb...not now, anyways. If it was a different time of year, if she was a little better fed, if he worked her a little harder...then maybe. He wasn't sure where they would go in this imaginary setting, but he felt certain they would make it once they were out of the Pit.

Nothing would seem too hard after that particular horror.

_**AN THAT'S RIGHT, I'M NOT AFRAID OF NO AGE GAPS. I find all that stuff about Bane being only a kid when Talia was born to be kind of silly, because Tom Hardy was certainly no early teenager in the movie :'D I didn't want the gap to be TOO huge, though, but making him much younger just isn't practical.**_

_**What do you guys think? This chapter was mostly exposition, but I hope it wasn't dull! I did my best to keep things lively. You'll have to tell me what you think.**_


	7. a pair of fighters

_**AN Whoo, just finished this chapter today! I know, I know, still too long of a wait, but I'm trying to get better :P **_

_**A bit of a shorter chapter today, but next chapter will definitely be longer and have more excitement. Just figure I'm going to be stirring the emotional pot in the story. Now you just have to figure out what that means ;)  
**_

Somehow, they managed to survive the cold. Some of their precious firewood had to be used, but the benefit was that Talia soon became proficient at lighting fires. When she first saw the smoke, and then the flames that stuttered to life, she had felt happy enough to start dancing around cell.

"It all feels better when we have a fire," she told Bane at one point, curled up with him under a blanket, the flames barely a foot away.

"No one likes being cold," he pointed out, making Talia roll her eyes and thump him in the chest.

"Not _that_," she grumbled, shifting a little. "It just...feels like things aren't so bad."

"Things are getting better, little one. We'll make it through the winter."

"I don't know how I got through before," she mumbled, watching the flames dance. "I don't really remember my last winter."

"What _do _you remember?"

"It was cold, and Mother wouldn't stop shaking and when she got sick...I was so scared."

Talia closed her eyes, feeling the bite of the frigid air and seeing her mother shake as she coughed. Even though Talia felt warm and safe in Bane's arms, she could feel the fear spike in her throat as her mother was wracked with hoarse coughs. That had been one of the scarier things Talia had ever lived through, because she had been so _helpless_. Even though she was small and knew she couldn't really do anything, Talia _hated_ having it pointed out so acutely.

"She wouldn't let me hold her, because she said I'd get sick, too. But she patted my head, like this."

Talia straightened, reaching up and stroking Bane's crown. He watched her face, not saying anything but giving one of the tiny smiles Talia liked to think of as specifically hers. Usually when Bane smiled, it was dark and sarcastic, but sometimes, his lips would twitch back, a soft light appearing in his eyes. In the brief seconds they lasted, it was like he told Talia she had done something special, something worth remembering. A part of her longed to always be under that meaningful smile.

"Was that all?" Bane asked, and she shook her head.

"No, she would rub my head and then tell me that she loved me." Talia repeated the phrase in her own native language, dropping her eyes from Bane's. A lump formed in her throat, an unusual longing for her mother rising in her. When had Talia last thought about her, truly dwelled on her and not just passingly recalled something to tell Bane?

Panic started to mix in her chest as she thought about her mother, trying to recall her face, her scent. A sick jolt went through Talia when she realized she could hardly remember the beautiful hazel of her mother's eyes.

Talia curled into Bane, suddenly unsure of everything. Was she doomed to forgetting anything that had been missing for a few months? Would she even remember that she cared?

Bane seemed to sense her fear, gently turning he face so she was forced to look at him. His brows furrowed as he searched her face, trying to find the source of the sadness.

"What is it, Talia? Did I say something?"

"No, " she mumbled, feeling even more upset that she had made him feel bad as well."I just...what if I forget about her? What if I forget about my mother?"

He looked at her for a long moment, thinking, then shook his head.

"You, Talia, will not forget your mother. Not after what she's done for you. She is a part of your soul now," he told her, pressing his fingertips against her chest. "Nothing can take that away, or anything half so important."

"Are you sure?" she asked, hope rising in her chest, a tiny bird trying to fly past thick thorn bushes.

"Completely."

She gave him a weak smile, feeling much more reassured now that he'd spoken to her. Bane's power over words never ceased to amaze her, and now they had managed to make her feel better.

Then Bane did something he'd never done before - he bent down and pressed his lips to her forehead. She blinked in surprise when he pulled back, warmth spreading all over, from her face to her toes. That had been something her mother had done as well, something that always seemed to mean more than what was showed.

_You are safe and I love you_, it seemed to say. _You are mine and I will protect you._

She stared at the fire, confused by what exactly that meant but not sure she wanted to ask.

Never before had Talia been so excited to hear the sound of insects. When the distant hum of a cicada sounded far above, she immediately straightened, scrambling to the bars of the cell facing the middle of the Pit. She stared up at their tiny cut of sky, breath held as she waited for the hum to sound again.

Bane's eyes were on her back, she knew, but she didn't care, too busy trying to strain out the calls and clangs and dark muttering from the other prisoners.

Then, more beautiful than angel song, the repeated chirping of a cicada.

Talia turned around, grinning at Bane so widely she thought she might start crying, because finally, _finally,_ spring was here.

He smiled at her, the usual small turn of the lips, but to her, it felt equal to all of the joyful song and dance in the world. She launched herself into his arms, giggling and holding him so tightly her hands hurt.

"We made it!" she managed, breathless from excitement and laughter. "Bane, we _made it!_"

"Yes, little one. Of course we did. We are fighters, you and I."

Talia smiled at this thought. They were fighters. She was worthy of being on the same level as Bane, and maybe (she was a little hesitant of this thought, embarrassed by it even though it was locked inside of her head) even her father. Talia was going to survive the major trials in her life, and maybe even more than that, maybe she'd triumph as well.

She noticed Bane's eyes on her, searching her face, making her turn away. These were private thoughts, and she didn't need him reading her mind as he so often did.

When they laid down for the night, her mind was abuzz.

"Bane" she whispered, able to only see his collar bones and neck. "Bane, are you awake?"

"Yes, little one," he grunted, apparently half asleep. She groaned, partly irritated with herself that she had woken him up and partly irritated he had fallen asleep so quickly.

"What, do you need to go the bathroom," he asked vaguely, and she shook her head, a little indignant.

"No, I just...wondered why you don't really talk with anyone else." She tipped her head up to look at a part of his face, neck craned to see him crack open an eye.

"I speak with other people."

"No, I mean, why don't you talk to them like you do me? You tell me all sorts of things, and you tell me stories, but you just growl at them. You seem so angry."

Talia frowned at him, certain he could see her expression in the dark. Bane had this unexplainable talent of seeing in the dark like it was no more than the haze of twilight.

"Why is that?"

"They're not worth my time," he sighed, closing his eyes again. "And, if I did speak with them, they'd be able to figure out your secret more easily."

"_Really?_" she gasped, the thought making her go cold.

"Yes, little one. Since you are most often with me, they'd see the signs, might catch me in the lie. Still think I should speak with people more often?"

"I don't know," she admitted, a little mumble passing her lips. "I just thought it was weird."

Bane gave a dark chuckle.

"Don't spend your time worrying about me, Talia. There are better things to think about."

Bane fell asleep soon after that, but she laid awake, thinking.

Why shouldn't she spend her time worrying over him? He spent the entire day watching over her, keeping an eye out for danger, making sure she was sleeping and eating enough, keeping her healthy. How many times had she see him skip a meal so she could have a little extra, or sit awake at night when the other prisoners were especially restless? Bane was running himself ragged, that Talia could plainly see. When she had first begun living with him, he had been so tall and confident, a god among mortals. Now it seemed that his strength had been drained away. Bane avoided all possible contact with the other convicts now, skirted groups he normally would have barged through.

And then there was his sleep pattern. While he often laid down with her at night, holding her safe in his arms, so close she wasn't sure whose heartbeat was whose, she very rarely woke up to find him there, still sleeping. Generally Bane got up sometime during the night, keeping watch in case any of the inmates wanted to break in. She wondered how often he actually slept, as he spent most of the day dozing, too exhausted to stay fully alert, but completely able to snap back at the first hint of danger.

Maybe Talia couldn't take care of herself, but she could definitely try to make things easier for him. Besides, she remembered the last time she'd seen that overwhelming weariness in a person. Her mother had looked just like Bane did in the days preceding her death, her actions slower and attention shorter. Talia decided right there that she wouldn't let someone be hurt like her mother had been because of her. She'd willingly throw herself into the hands of the other prisoners if she ever let someone get hurt like that again.

_**AN Look at that, unintentional foreshadowing :O **_

_**bleck bleck bleck this chapter was kind of awkward to write. I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted this chapter to be like, which I'm sure you all noticed OTL Still, I'm glad it's out, because that means we get to move on with the plot (or whatever this story is operating under. I really have no idea what to call it :'D).**_


	8. learn something new

_**AN Phew, am I glad this is out. I didn't intend for this to be put out so soon, as I just started typing it today, but I decided why not? Thanksgiving present (albeit a slightly late one) to everyone. And non-Americans can be equally though not as officially thankful I got my lazy self up and wrote :'D I know I promised something a little more actiony this chapter, but it's not really **_**action****_ so much as _****interaction. ****_Still, I feel like this chapter is a bit more interesting than the last one, and definitely longer._**

**_And thank you a thousand times over for giving me all of these gorgeous reviews! I've already reached a hundred, and it's very flattering to receive all of this attention even though I only have a handful of chapters :)_**

"Where're we going?" Talia whined, yawning yet again. It was about midday, generally a time Bane tried to avoid for Talia's safety, but he had allowed the two of them to sleep in today. He had felt exhausted the last few days, and Talia had been looking rather worn out as well. The downside to this was that the Pit was alive with people, heightening the chance of disaster. Bane had decided that he couldn't put off this meeting any longer, though. If he did, the woman they were going to see might die before they got there.

"We're going to see a woman who can tell you some stories," he replied. Talia frowned up at him. He could see the dozens of protested crossing her mind at this brief and rather vague statement. She liked exact answers, ones that made a reasonable amount of sense. Otherwise, a thousand questions would pop into her head, trying to fill in the blanks. A slight smile lifted his lips as he tried to guess what she was thinking.

Why were they going to see some lady for a story? Why couldn't Bane merely tell her the story? Had he run out? Were her stories more important? Was he speaking in code? What woman were they seeing? Why had he never mentioned her before now if they were going out of their way to see her?

"Just wait," he said, glancing up at the sky. Their impossible tunnel to freedom seemed longer and longer everyday, now that Bane was entertaining ideas of escape. When he hadn't cared either way, it had seemed relatively short, and he figured that physically he would be able to best it. The only thing that kept people back were doubts. The irony was that now that Bane actually wanted to leave, there were bucketfuls for him to entertain.

Talia huffed irritatedly, then edged closer to him as a man exited a cell a few feet away. Bane glanced back at the other prisoner, meeting the man's eyes for a second. Lust was apparent on his face he dragged his eyes from Talia. Bane faced forward again, feigning disinterest.

A few minutes later they reached the woman's cell. Talia was about ready to explode from impatience and curiosity, as apparent from the way she bounced from foot to foot. She peered through the bars, greedily drinking in everything she saw.

The woman was old, infinitely older than she had been when Bane had spoken to her just a few months ago. It was the woman that had let Talia's gender slip to him, and was just about the only other person he had any trust in.

"Who's there?" she asked, voice raspy from age and disuse.

"Bane," he said, hand on one of the bars. She nodded, squinting a little.

"Cursed eyes...I'll hardly be able to see anything in a few months. If I live that long, anyways," she added, scoffing loudly. Talia pulled back from the cell at the woman's loud scraping laugh. She glanced up at Bane, eyes wide and a little scared. He ushered her in, rolling his eyes as she shuffled her feet.

"What, who's that with you?" the woman asked, leaning forward on her cot. bane stepped into the cell, closing the door behind him.

"Is that...? _Oh,"_ she sighed, apparently having managed to bring Talia into view. "Well, what do you want me to do with her?" The woman's voice had turned hard at this, and Bane pressed his lips together. What had this woman heard? Would she believe him when he asked for her help?

"I would like you to teach her," he said quietly. The woman started, shaking her head.

"I may be happy that you didn't let this young thing be killed like her mother, but I've heard exactly what you've been doing with her instead of helping her."

Her voice was a harsh whisper, eyes having darted around to make sure there was no one to over hear. Bane looked at her, trying to be as honest as possible. He really needed this ancient woman on his side. He simply couldn't teach Talia everything she would need to know in life.

"I'm not doing anything to her. Have the doctor check. But I'd like you...I _need_ you to explain to her what's going to happen to her in a few years." He looked at her meaningfully, and the woman nodded after a second, narrowing her eyes.

"What's it matter to you?" she asked slowly. "Why do you care what she learns?"

Bane weighed the question. He was acutely aware of Talia at the moment, staring wide eyed at the two of them, utterly confused. How much of this did she understand?

"I'm trying to help her," he said simply. "And there are things I trust only you to teach her."

The woman's smile was hard and dark as she nodded. She knew exactly what he meant - Bane couldn't risk anyone else finding out about Talia's gender, and she would be dead soon enough, anyways. Regardless of his motives, if he wanted to keep the little girl around for any long period of time, she would have to learn, and fast.

She stayed quiet a moment, thinking.

"And you want me to teach her what it means to be a girl?"

"Yes," he sighed, relief flooding his bones. "You said yourself that no one would probably be around for her when it happened, and I don't want to chance waiting for much longer."

"True. I myself didn't expect to live this long, with the weather being so hazardous... Well, what am I supposed to say? It's not often that a man like you condescends to ask or admit his flaws. Alright. Come here, child." She gestured at Talia, who cast a wary look at her, then Bane. He nodded, pushing gently at her back. The girl edged forward, looking about ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.

"I've got some things to tell you, so listen good."

Bane nodded, edging out of the cell.

"Ah, how long are you going to be gone?" the woman asked, and he shrugged.

"Not long. I'm headed over to the doctor."

"Fine. Be back whenever."

She still didn't trust him, that was plain as the lines on her face. What she had really meant was that he better come back, point blank. There was no way she could be able to take care of both herself _and_ Talia should he dump her and run. Not when she was doing good to simply scrape along in the first place.

Bane nodded again, turning his gaze to Talia.

"Make sure you listen, she has things to tell you that you may not get a chance to hear again."

Talia nodded, still looking nervous. He gave her the smallest of comforting smiles, which made her relax somewhat.

He left the cell, heading to the doctor. When Bane walked into the man's cell, he saw with relief that the man's eyes were clear and not clouded with the haze of morphine.

"Yes, what do you want?" he asked gruffly, and Bane shrugged.

"I came to see if you have any herbs to trade," he said, glancing around. The doctor's cell was unlike any one in the Pit. He was allowed a measure of luxury, extra blankets, more water containers, simple tools and the like. All of the prisoners understood that if the doctor's living was miserable, their living would be miserable when they were treated by him.

"You want to trade, Bane? How are you going to do that?" he asked after a moment, abnormally irritated. It only took a quick glance at his shaking hands to tell that the man was starting to crave his drug, so he was becoming short with Bane to get him to leave as soon as possible. Bane pursed his lips, hoping to make this quick. He didn't want to be there should the doctor go into a withdrawal.

The doctor scoffed, shaking his head.

"You have nothing to trade with. Not food or water, I can get them myself and besides, you've another mouth to feed, don't you? Things are a bit tight for you, now. I don't need clothes or blankets and I'm not interested in what you have to teach me. I am a man of medicine, not violence."

"I was planning to trade my protection," Bane countered, and the doctor looked him over. Unlike most of the people in the Pit, Bane hadn't let his body fall into disrepair. He avoided the drugs that ate people's bodies and souls alive, and took precautions against the more terrible diseases running around. He also was an incredible fighter that didn't let his emotions block his mind when in combat.

The doctor shrugged, hesitant.

"I don't need to be protected from anything you can fight."

Bane smiled at the man, raising an eyebrow.

"You and I both know that that is never true. I heard that you upset quite a few people lately, including Eyphah, who is someone you can't take chances with. A man came to you so you could remove a shard of metal from his leg, and managed to miss the fact that he was suffering from blood poisoning because you were so delirious from the morphine. They want your blood, doctor, to make you pay for what you did."

The man shifted, dropping his eyes. He mumbled something unintelligible, and Bane waited, knowing that he would soon crack.

"What do you need? And how long would this protection last?" he asked reluctantly, making Bane smile again. He told him what he needed, then added "I can give you my protection for a week. Things should blow over by then."

The doctor nodded, picking out the herbs he could spare. In all it was barely a handful, but Bane knew that when it came down to it, these little dried leaves could make both his and Talia's lives much easier.

He thanked the doctor and left, calling over his shoulder that he would be back the next day to make good on his promise. Bane hurried to the old woman's cell, eager to check back up on Talia. He had been hesitant to leave her alone with just the protection of an old woman who was going blind and hardly able to move, but it was either that or sit there and listen to all of the private things she would teach Talia.

When they came into sight, his stomach untwisted itself. Talia had the frown on her face that said she was concentrating on whatever she was being taught. She was so focused that she didn't look around at him until he was at the door.

Talia broke into a wide grin at the sight of him, waving and sliding off her seat on a large rock. He walked in, giving her a smile in return. Bane's eyes moved on to the older woman as if to say '_There, I didn't run off. Are you happy now?'_ She didn't respond, merely sniffed to herself and said "That's one's bright. She remembers just about everything I told her."

"Is that so?" he asked, looking down at her. Talia didn't say anything, merely blushed and dropped her gaze. She stood beside Bane as he thanked the woman again, offering a shy wave.

"Bring her back soon, now. I didn't cover everything I needed to, and I don't know when I'll drop."

"I'll be sure to do that," he promised, turning back to the corridor outside. He and Talia walked back up to their cell, her telling him about some of the things she had learned. When she first mentioned the name of the ancient woman, he had been surprised as he had never taken the trouble to ask. Apparently, she was called 'Anina'.

"Anina told me that all names have a meaning. Hers meant 'grace' or 'answered prayers', did you know that, Bane?"

"No," he said, quietly wondering if she was going to ask what his name meant and how he had gotten a name with such a terrible meaning. He blinked, realizing that he had thought the same thing when he had first saved Talia. He smiled to himself, thinking that it was odd how things could change so much yet the same thoughts and occurrences could happen.

"And Anina said that my name meant 'heaven's dew'. What's that? Dew, I mean."

"Dew?" he asked, surprised to hear a word that sounded so fresh and full of vitality in a place where everyone was lifeless and choking on dust. "It's...water that collects on the ground and on plants at night."

"Does that happen here?" she asked, confused. Bane laughed, thinking that dew in this place was nothing more than a pretty thought.

"No, little one. It only happens in certain places, not deserts like this."

They walked in silence for a moment, winding their way back up the path that curled around the inside of the Pit, connecting to the mouths of all the cells. People were starting to head back to their cells as the sun began slipping away, leaving the bottom of the Pit shrouded in murky twilight. Talia made sure to walk close to the wall with Bane as a barrier between her and them, keeping her eyes down whenever they passed.

"Tiger, tiger, where are you headed in such a hurry?"

Bane turned around, step hitching as he heard the voice. A woman a cell back was watching them, slouching against the bars, her arms hanging out of the cell. She sent him a lazy smile and tipped a wink to Talia, who hid behind Bane's leg. He stared at the woman, a little confused. What was she doing, calling out to him? Was there something she wanted?

"Awh, don't look so suspicious, tiger, I just wanna talk."

"About what?" he asked, a layer of hostility in his voice. "There's nothing for us to talk about."

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions. I just wanna know what the deal is with the kid." Bane stiffened, frowning at her.

"What's it matter to you?" he asked gruffly, making her smile turn a little more knowing.

"I heard what you're doing with him, but I gotta wonder - why? I mean, what's in it for you?"

"Everyone owing me. There isn't much more I can really ask from these people."

"Oh, I see. I played that game too, 'fore I ended up down in this hole. I pleasured people in exchange for favors for years. It worked out pretty great, until I ended up with a disease and a life sentence in the worse prison on Earth."

Bane tilted his head back, questioning.

"Are you reprimanding me?"

"Me? Naw, what do I care if you get gutted down here, tiger? I'm just telling you my story."

"Why would I want to know that?" he asked. The woman pulled her head back in a silent laugh that lasted only a few seconds. Her long brown hair swished over her shoulders, surprisingly well kempt for a prostitute. Bane also noticed the gleam of gold in her mouth when she laughed, suggesting gold teeth. A part of him wanted to know the details of her story so he could figure out how a woman who had been wealthy enough to live in comfort by catering to the carnal needs of people ended up in a place like this. And yet, at the same time he was snapping at himself to stop talking to her, because she just had the air of a crafty person. Should she figure out Talia's secret, things would go horrifically bad for them.

She turned to look at Talia, smile losing some of its darker qualities and turning kind.

"People's stories are important, aren't they?" she asked, tilting her head. "They can tell you a lot about how they might act, or who they will become, don't cha think?"

Talia shrugged noncommittally, dropping her eyes from the woman's.

"Don't worry, child," she chuckled, "I couldn't really hurt you if I tried. A precious thing like you, you're too pretty to lay a finger on. That's a mite kinder than that beast beside you."

Bane snarled at the suggestion, placing a protective hand on Talia's shoulder and forcefully turning her around. He stalked them away from the woman, who was laughing at his reaction.

"Don't be a stranger now, you hear? I need a little excitement in my life, tiger!" she called after him, making Bane grit his teeth. Talia glanced up at him, frowning at his reaction. No one had gotten under his skin like that in a long time, and Bane had almost forgotten what it felt like to be so riled up. He pressed the irritation down to his feet, trying to force himself back into control.

"What was she talking about?" Talia asked as they reached their cell, Bane unlocking it for them. He grunted, not meeting her eye.

"Nothing important. Idle jokes, that's all."

Talia nodded, though as she sat down on their cot, she seemed to be looking at him in a way that said she didn't believe what he'd said.

_**AN asdfjkl; I need to stop introducing characters that don't have names. But really, I like that prostitute lady. She's going to make things interesting with all that blunt, plucky courage.**_**_ She also is kind of a catalyst, and helps cause some changes in the story. Actually, I feel like this entire chapter is kind of like a turning point. Things are going to get darker from here on out, and emotions are going to become a little more hectic._**

**_Oh boy, I really can't wait._**

**_Please review and tell me what you think (even if it's just to berate me for taking so long to get this new chapter out)! I can't wait to read what you all have to say._**


	9. the sudden pressure

_**AN I don't even know how the time got away from me this time. I really don't. But, it's here now, I will do my darn diddly best to update soon!**_  
**_So, enjoy this Christmas Eve Eve present :)_**

Quiet murmurs echoed around the Pit, a comfortable hum in Talia's ears as she lay on the cot. She was playing with Bane's fingers, measuring them against her own as she listened to the noise around her. Sound was a familiar friend to the prisoners, whether it was a gentle whisper at night or a raucous battle cry from someone trying to climb to blessed freedom to mingle with the sky. It was only when it was silent that they had to be afraid.

Talia tilted her head against Bane's chest, wrapping her hand around one of his fingers. They were so large that there was still room to spare, despite the fact that she was using her entire palm.

They were both quiet as she stretched his hand out flat, examining the scars that laced his hand and wrist. They weren't serious, merely small things that were mostly faded by this point. Talia traced one particular scar with the pad of her finger, following it along the back of two of his fingers.

"How did you get that?" she asked, eyes not leaving their hands.

"Scraped my hand across a nail. The tip was hidden under a cloth."

She frowned, glancing up at his face. His voice was casual, like he had said he just stubbed his toe the day before, but Talia had seen hand wounds, knew how much one cut could bleed. She also knew that it was difficult to just scrape against a nail to create that type of injury. A darker form of his story swirled in her head, though thankfully Talia spared herself from the details. She closed her hands over his, laying her head back against his chest.

They were perched on the cot, Bane with his back to the bars of the cell facing the middle of the Pit, and Talia curled up between his side and the wall. The season may have shifted to the spring, but it was still cold enough in the evenings to warrant cuddling up beside him.

Bane ran a hand through her hair, a rhythmic stroke that lulled her to a daze. Warmth poured off of him, and the gentle sounds slipping all around her were so inviting, telling her to rest...

Talia gasped awake as shouts erupted around their cell. Bane was holding her tight, tight enough to hurt, but she felt safer when he was holding her than she would have if he let go. She glanced around, terrified with her heart screaming in her ears, then saw the mob of men outside.

Her first thought was immediate and terrible, reaffirming every whispered warning and fear her mother had given her.

They had come for her. They had come to rip her out of Bane's arms and to carry her away. They were going to tear down the cell door, charge in and steal her. The image of her mother, scarlet pouring from her mouth and staining her chest and neck leaped into Talia's mind, her screams of protest and rage echoing in Talia's brain as she clenched her hands into Bane's shirt, some tiny anchor should they come in.

But they did not come in. Talia sat stiff as she watched the group shuffle closer, still loud and terrible, but their backs were to her and Bane, everyone curled in to see something at their core. Two men shifted apart, allowing a view of another prisoner. He was thin and dark haired, someone Talia had seen several times before, lounging around and casting dark looks at everyone. Now though, his face was so bruised it was a miracle Talia could recognize him. His eye was swollen and purple, his mouth bleeding heavily, making her think that he had bitten it when being struck in the face. Blood flowed freely from his temple, and when he raised a hand to try and protect himself, it looked like several of his fingers were broken. Talia stifled a gasp as he was suddenly thrown against the bars of their cell, him begging in a language she didn't understand. His prosecutors could not have understood him either, for all they listened.

Bane's grip tightened, something Talia hadn't thought possible. She glanced back at him, scared. He had his eyes narrowed in a full on glare, gaze locked onto the men outside. Laughter bled into the shouts, savage, harsh things. She pressed back into Bane, holding her breath as the man was slammed back into the bars. He gave a whimper before having his face smashed in again. Then, loud enough to be heard above the din, one voice called out.

"He can't fool us!"

The men cheered, a monstrous roar that made Talia flinch.

"No, no, now we take what is ours, what is equal to what he stole!"

The men cheered again, and Talia noticed the injured man trying to plea yet again, though again no one listened. Then someone slammed their hand into his neck, knife in hand. It reminded Talia of the lightning she had sometimes seen flash across their little slice of sky, quick and lethal and terrible. Talia gasped and hid her face in Bane's chest as she caught the splash of red. The noise from the men suddenly cut off, leaving them all to listen to the soft gasp and sound of someone choking. There was a long moment when Talia buried herself in Bane's heartbeat, which may have been faster than normal, but still steady. The constant comfort of hearing it pound in her ear was wonderful, it helped anchor Talia to a reality that was a little bit nicer than the one she was currently in.

Talia reluctantly looked back, biting her cheek when she saw the blood. She felt her heart nearly stop when she met the eyes of the main attacker, though there was absolutely no surprise when she saw who it was.

Eyphah, his mismatched eyes glowing with sadistic excitement, held the knife loosely in one hand. Blood dripped from the tip, a steady, darker rhythm than Bane's heartbeat. He tipped his head up, a challenge towards Bane, though he kept his eyes locked on Talia.

"Did we disturb you?" he asked, voice heavy with something Talia didn't understand and wasn't sure she wanted to.

Bane didn't answer, except to say "You better move him before he starts stinking. I don't want to clean up your mess."

Eyphah shrugged, casual like they were talking about something mundane, like when the next food drop was.

"Of course. Wouldn't want to upset the little one," he said easily, and Talia shuddered at hearing Bane's name for her said by this rattlesnake.

The men behind Eyphah quietly shuffled forwards, picking up the body under the armpits and hoisting him out of their sight. Eyphah lingered, just long enough to wriggle the fingers still holding the knife at Talia.

"Bye-bye. Hopefully we'll be seeing each other soon," he grinned, questionable intentions making his light blue and brown eyes dark.

She buried her face in Bane's shirt again, not wanting to look at him any longer than necessary. Talia heard him walk away, and Bane placed a hand on her back, holding her to him.

"It's alright," he murmured, and then Talia burst into tears. The shock and horror of the whole thing made her feel like she was tipping, about to tumble into some terrible chasm where creatures like Eyphah were allowed to rule more than he already did.

She didn't even know why she was crying. Talia very rarely cried, and felt incredibly embarrassed when she did, but remembering the man's damaged face, desperate and terrified... It shook Talia to her core.

What if that had been her, or Bane? Or the old woman teaching Talia, Anina, if the others found out she was keeping Talia's secret? Talia's mother had never specified just what the other men would do to her should they find out she was a girl, but maybe that was it. A brutal few minutes before a terrible death. She shook in Bane's arms, not wanting to think about it, not wanting to think at all.

After a while, she finally did manage to calm down somewhat, tears fading into heart sore little hiccups. Bane didn't say anything, merely stroked her back and rocked her, making a soft 'shhhh...' sound. When she managed to make the lump in her throat go away, she asked "Are we going to go see Anina?"

She could feel Bane shake his head above her, chest heaving in a quiet, humorless laugh.

"No, Talia. Not today. Things are too wild for us to venture out. Maybe tomorrow."

Talia had visited Anina a total of three times now. On each occasion Bane would drop her off then leave, though she didn't know where he went, and never asked why. At first she had felt paranoid with him gone, like he would be attacked or bitten or stung while out of her sight, but Anina had soon set her fears to rest.

"Relax child. That man could tear down the very sky if he wanted to. He'll be coming on back to you soon enough." Her voice was raspy and gruff, like the walls of stone surrounding them, but completely honest. Talia had reluctantly nodded, liking the image of Bane always returning for her.

"Besides, he terrifies half the mongrels in here. They wouldn't dare touch him, not when he's well rested and minds his own business." There was something dark to Anina's words, that much Talia could tell. There was some catch, thing nasty that she should be getting, but simply couldn't guess. She merely nodded, not wanting to waste time on questions that she didn't have formed properly.

The things Anina taught Talia were numerous and fascinating. She hadn't guessed that there would be much more to life in the Pit than what she already knew, but Anina taught her otherwise. There were lessons and stories that Anina knew but Bane didn't, and her grumpy personality made her much more forceful when teaching. Unless it was incredibly important, Bane usually let Talia govern herself when it take to paying attention to his bits of wisdom, but with Anina, everything was important. She would snap and wave her hands at Talia, as if unable to believe that she wasn't hanging on her every word.

Under Anina's guidance, Talia learned about how people worked and how to manipulate them. Bane had never given much time for people and to figure out how to gently change their minds without the use of force or intimidation. Anina, however, made it very clear to Talia that kindness and a gentle approach was every bit as important and effective tactic as dominating people into doing what you want.

"We are women," she had whispered to Talia at one point, leaning in so only she could hear. "We can't go waving around swords and hissing and swearing like savages, making people listen because we can break their arms. No, no, we work on their _souls_, we bend them, we mold them, make them realize just how much they want to help us. _That_ is our way of working, and that, child, is something you better remember."

Talia had nodded, frowning because she wasn't exactly sure what 'working on their souls' meant, though she sensed she wasn't supposed to ask questions at the moment. Her mind had piled up with them, though, wondering, wondering. She knew men could manipulate others, but how effective was it compared to when a woman did it? Would it always work on people? Did all women know how to do this, or did they have to be taught? Would Anina teach her if that was true?

Aside from that, Anina also taught her quiet tips about food and herbs. Talia could never actually use them, as the ingredients required were never delivered to the Pit, but she always enjoyed listening. It gave her a fuller sense of the world above, where plants that lush and thriving could cure a number of ailments like headaches, lessen pain and speed up the healing process.

_I want to be able to use that,_ she thought to herself, curling up a little tighter against Bane's chest. _When we get out of the Pit, I want to be able to help Bane with what I know about plants._

It probably wouldn't be much, but it would certainly be something.

* * *

Things were tense in the Pit for the next few days. Quiet little scuffles broke out all over the Pit, though only one other ended in a death, and that hadn't even been intentional. A man had harassed a woman, and they had tussled for a moment on the steps. Finally, the woman had slammed her elbow into the man's jaw, breaking his grip. He had turned away with a curse, only to trip over the edge of the stairway, falling to the hard, cruel earth below. No one could say if she had pushed him or not, but one thing was for sure. The woman had been the one to stop Bane after Talia's first visit to Anina, the one with the long brown hair and crafty eyes.

Talia had been with Bane when she'd heard this, down at the bottom of the Pit. They had come down to listen to the talk, something Bane had always found important.

"You can never expect to make a plan work if you don't know all of the facts, or at least what people think are the facts. You'd be surprised how often people's thoughts and fears can be played in your favor," Bane had told her once, when it was still winter and it had been so cold they couldn't fall asleep. Talia's head had been filled with countless daring ventures Bane had made after learning people's hearts. A part of her wished she could have been there with him, but then another, more practical part whispered that she probably didn't want to.

When Bane had heard the story about the woman, he had tipped his head back in some emotion Talia didn't understand. His eyes were narrowed slightly, and he pressed his mouth into a crooked line.

"I doubt she pushed him," he said flatly to the man who had told the story. The man shrugged, not wanting to give up this exciting bit of gossip.

"You can never tell with her type. One day she'll tell you you're the most important person in the world, but the next she'll be spitting in your food bowl."  
Bane had flat out laughed at this, a dark sound.

"If she spited people on a whim like you say, then where would that leave her? Absolutely friendless in a pit of monsters. No, she's more clever than that."

The man frowned, nodding slightly. He shuffled away, drawn by someone else's conversation. Talia looked up at Bane, who still had that slightly sour look on his face. She wanted to ask what was wrong, but she sensed that he wasn't really in the mood to speak right now. He didn't really like talking when he came down to the bottom of the Pit on days like this. That generally attracted attention, something he hadn't wanted before and desperately wanted to avoid now.

Talk of a new rain storm and the next food drop swirled around the two of them, water pushing past rocks in a stream. Whenever someone came too close, Talia clung on to Bane's side, watching them fearfully until they had passed. He never looked down at her when this happened, eyes idly scanning the small crowd and listening to whomever was nearest, but she always felt him tense, hand brushing her back ever so slightly. It was small enough to be missed by everyone except Talia, but it made her feel better. It was like he was saying he would protect her, that she was his and no one was allowed to lay a finger on her.

"Look at that, the tiger's come out of his cage." The voice was clear and higher than the ones surrounding Bane and Talia, but they seemed to be the only ones to hear it, as if it was only intended for them. It was the woman from the story, sauntering her way towards them. She was only a few feet away, making Talia wonder how they had missed her before.

"You even brought your little cub down into the big, bad jungle. Color me impressed," she continued, coming to a stop and standing akimbo. Talia felt Bane draw in a breath and lean back ever so slightly, as if to fortify himself against her. She frowned, unsure what this meant. There were several people in the Pit Talia knew that Bane disliked, but that was usually because they were dislikable people, like Eyphah or the liars and thieves that followed him around. There weren't actually a lot of truly _evil_ people in the Pit, but Bane had told Talia once that they were all weak willed cowards that had no idea how to say no to the crowd.

With this woman, however, it seemed that he disliked her right off the bat, without having to gotten to know her at all. Talia hadn't sensed anything terribly bad about her, but she was wary of just about everyone in the Pit before she got to know them. She yearned for about the thousandth time that she could peak inside his head and figure out what was going in there, because there had to be _something_ wrong with the woman for her to have earned his contempt so early on.

"I think _you're_ the one that's come out of the cage," he retorted, voice mild except for a hint of hostility. "From what I hear, you never leave that place."

"'From what you hear? You tellin' me you really don't pay _any_ attention to me?" The woman made a face, puckering her lips off to the side and turning her eyes down to Talia.

"Looks like I'm going to hafta change that, huh, kid?" Her voice was gentle and even joking, like she truly wanted to make a good impression on Talia.

Talia buried her face in Bane's side, though she couldn't help but peek one eye out at the woman, who was making another face. She had drawn one side of her mouth away from her teeth in an expression that said '_Well, __**that**__ went well...'_, revealing a flash of gold. The woman looked back up at Bane, shrugging.

"Certainly a shy one ya picked up there. I don't think I've seen him make eye contact with anyone 'cept me yet."

"He's scared of the men," he said dismissively, folding his arms. The woman raised an eyebrow, a grin playing across her face.

"An' what about the women? He scared of them? 'Cause I think a few hours with me could be good for him. Mellow him out a little." Bane made a sound at the back of his throat, halfway between a scoff and a grunt. When she heard this, the woman's grin turned knowing.

"Not like _that,_ tiger. I have a strict age policy. If I coulda borne 'em, I stay at a friendly distance. Though, I think you could do with a bit of mellowing out, too, don't cha think? Get you to take a load off. I bet it'd do you _wonders_."

"I bet. I'll take my chances, though."

"Suit yourself," the woman sighed, shrugging again. "Still, if ya ever change your mind, ask for Nasrin."

"That's your name?" he asked, blinking as if in surprise. The woman grinned, nodding.

"Yeah, it is. But I guess you never woulda known that since we haven't exactly been introduced yet." Nasrin stuck out her hand, waiting for Bane to shake it. He kept his arms folded, and merely said "Bane," like he knew he had to respond, and was choosing to do it as curtly as possible.

She raised her eyebrows as he refused to take her hand, then turned towards Talia, hand still extended.

"You gonna take it for the tiger beside you?" she asked, and Talia shook her head, hands still clenched in the fabric of Bane's shirt. Nasrin tipped her head back in a silent, open mouthed laugh, then ruffled the girl's hair. Talia stiffened, and immediately Bane had Nasrin's wrist clenched in his hand, held above Talia's head. The woman froze, as though trying to come off as nonthreatening as possible. Though, it could also have been because Bane could easily break her arm in the span of a second and a well placed blow.

She slid her eyes up to meet Bane's, and slowly pulled her hand out of his. Talia couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Nasrin's expression could be called calculating.

"Alright, then. I don't touch the kid. I get it, he's yours."

Nasrin straightened, wearing a small smile that said she had just learned a secret. She turned, tossing a leisurely wave at the two of them and called "See ya around, tiger."

Talia knew she didn't understand a lot of what had just happened, but it didn't take months of close contact with Bane to know that he had been irked by Nasrin, or at least, something she had said.

Another thing Talia didn't understand was why she herself felt bothered that later, when they were back up in their cell, Bane still had that disgruntled look on his face that said Nasrin was on his mind.

**_AN I am so excited to expound on Nasrin's character. She's a shifty kind of person, and I don't think I have a firm hold on her yet. I don't think Bane does, either, which might be why he dislikes her so much ;) It was a little weird writing their interaction through the lense Talia provides. Hopefully I won't choose to write the next one from her POV, but I really wanted to show the first scene from her perspective, where she didn't quite understand._**

**_Review, tell me what you think, and enjoy the holidays._**


	10. and people talk

**_AN Oh my goodness, a month hasn't even passed, and I'm updating this story. Kind of an exciting change :'D But oh my gosh, we've reached the tenth chapter mark! Very, very exciting, but it's still a little surreal, because I never would have imagined all of the attention that this story would have received already. You guys are awesome.  
_**

**_The more I review TDKR, the more I realize that my memory did a really sucky job of recalling the scene where Bane saved Talia. I just...no. This is about the chapter that I try to tie my version of events and the movie's version of events together, if only for my own sake. Still, enjoy this rather long chapter :)  
_**

The bottom of the Pit was dark, though light was being cast across the upper parts of the wall. Bane turned his eyes back to the inside of the cell, wondering when the next food drop would be. It had been more than a week and a half since the last one, and that hadn't exactly been a feast. He had to wonder at what was going on up above, what was causing each delivery to be so sporadic. Sometimes there would be just a handful of days between each one, sometimes more than two weeks. Sometimes plenty of dried meat would be folded neatly inside along with bags of fruit and water skins, while others there would be a hodge-podge of seed cakes, some herbs and bags of grain and flat bread.

That was one thing Bane truly missed about the surface—he could get news whenever he wanted up there. Now, though, it was limited to whatever the newest prisoner had to bring in. It would buzz around the Pit for a while, but then it would turn into fanciful stories that hardly held the bones of truth. Bane tended to disregard whatever was said after the first few days of a new prisoner arriving, because the rest was absolutely ridiculous to anyone who had a shred of sense. But then, not many had that down here.

"Is it pretty up there?" Talia asked suddenly. He glanced at her, surprised she had been watching him. He often wondered just how much she could see down there, whether she could see his dark and reserved expression or the preoccupied tilt of his shoulders. Bane knew that he had rather exceptional eyes when it came to seeing in the dark from his days before the Pit, before traveling around the world when he was locked in an even darker hell, but what about her? Did the same apply to her, or had she simply become adept at reading the quality of the silence he was giving off?

"Today? No, you can't even see the blue of the sky."

"What?" A confused, fretful tone came into the girl's voice as she wiggled off the cot and scampered to the bars of the cell, neck tipped back all the way to see the opening of their prison. Talia glanced back to frown at him, mouth puckered in a disbelieving line.

"You don't think it's pretty right now? But the sky, it's all bright and clear!"

Bane looked at her for a moment, then said "Talia, those are clouds."

Talia set her jaw, shaking her head. This was going to take some doing, that was clear.

"No, because it looks like the sky when there _aren't_ clouds in it. It's just white."

"And what color are clouds?" he asked, a slight laugh shaping his voice. Bane walked over to the cot, sitting down. Hunger prickled at his stomach, but he tried to ignore it. Who knew how long their current food would need to last.

"Those aren't clouds." She sounded a little angry as he lay down, but Bane knew how she worked. It was only when Talia began to truly doubt something that she became upset like this. She became frustrated because she was so _certain_ of something, but then Bane would come along and refute it, making her question everything. Once, she had even tried to have a full scale argument with him when it was clear that she didn't believe what she was saying, merely that she couldn't stand admitting she was wrong. Talia may have been an old soul in many ways, but at the end of the day, she was still a little girl.

Talia's eyebrows were crunched down as she walked over to stand akimbo over him. Bane gave her a vague smile, then threw an arm over his eyes. He felt her hang over him for a moment, clearly staring at him in an attempt to make him acknowledge her and further the debate, but he was too tired to humor her today. Bane hadn't had a proper night's sleep in days, and the toll was finally weighing in.

Granted, he hadn't exactly been sleeping very much ever since he had saved Talia, far too wary of intruders to not keep watch when the prisoners became rowdy in the night. Sometimes muffled screams would sound across the prison, desperate shrieks that lasted less than a second as the person's mouth was clamped down on, as they were beaten and shoved away and forced to do whatever terrible thing it was their attacker wanted. They always woke Bane, though thankfully Talia remained asleep. No matter how old she became, he never wanted her to have to be aware of something that would remind her so horribly of what had happened to her mother.

Now, though, it seemed like the prisoners were always restless, always in the process of some new atrocious crime. Eyphah's crowd weren't the only men roaming the Pit, ready to pounce on anything that moved. Something was stirring in the prisoners, making them even more monstrous than they had been before they ended up in this nightmare.

Bane drifted off for a moment, just enough to feel him sinking ever so slightly into sleep's arms, only to be jerked back at the last possible second. He let out a sigh, hearing Talia sit down beside him. After a moment, Talia asked "Why don't you think the clouds are pretty?"

"Give up the idea that the sky's just turned grey?" he asked, shifting his arm to send a teasing glance at her. Talia made a face, then stared at him, willing Bane to answer.

"I don't know," Bane sighed, sifting on the cot so that he was on his side and able to look at her properly. From where he was, he could just barely see the edges of her bright orange scarf, tucked away under her shirt. For the first few days, Talia had worn the thing wrapped around her arm, but when another prisoner had reached out and grabbed a hold of it, she had reconsidered.

Bane recalled the scene, still a little shocked at how brazen the man had been. He hadn't even noticed the man, curled up against a wall amongst a pile of rags. Even when the man moved, Bane hadn't noticed, not until Talia had let out a sharp, terrified shriek. It was just a blip of a thing, but Bane had whirled around almost before it was over, taken in the situation and registered with amazement that someone would be so bold as to try laying a hand on Talia when Bane was less than two feet away. The amazement hadn't slowed him in the slightest when he reached over Talia, though. Bane had grabbed the man's wrist, snapped it and broken several of the man's ribs in about three swift moves before tossing him back against the wall. Talia had been completely stiff, hardly able to glance up and pin him with eyes that were wide and absolutely terrified.

He hadn't realized how scared she was until they reached the cell moments later and she had let out a single sob and then just had shaking in his arms for a solid fifteen minutes.

After that, Talia had wrapped it around her neck and hidden it beneath her shirt, dimming the beautiful fabric with the dust and dirt that was in abundant supply. When she was nervous or considering something seriously, her hand would creep up and hold onto it through her shirt, a tiny source of comfort.

Talia, oblivious to his train of thought, pushed on.

"But the sky is so pretty when it's grey. It's bright and happy and looks so clean."

"You haven't seen a happy sky yet, little one," he mumbled. Immediately Talia was alert, sensing a story on the brink of being told.

"I haven't?" she prodded, and he smiled.

"No. Back where I came from, the sky could become so blue that it would hurt your eyes just looking at it. It was pure color, pure joy. Wait until you see that to call the sky happy."

"Where do you come from?" Talia asked after a beat, voice soft. Bane thought for a moment, wondering how he was supposed to answer. What were countries and islands to Talia, who had yet to even see a real city or town yet? What mattered were pictures and feelings, scents and sounds, things she understood.

"The ocean. There was a little bit of land out in the middle of it, like one of your clouds, tiny and alone in the sky."

"_The ocean_?" the girl demanded, excitement in every bit of her body. "Did you play in it?"

A flash of the dark, soulless air Bane had breathed for years jumped into his head, the whispers of the people that had lost a bit of what had made them human long ago humming once more in his ears.

"No, Talia," he said, closing his eyes. "No I did not."

* * *

Bane scowled at Talia, who was squirming where she stood.

"But why do I have to put it on?" Talia whined as he handed her a head scarf. He didn't answer, just like he hadn't answered any of her other complaints. Talia knew the answer, just she just didn't want to listen to it.

With the warmth of the spring, rain and good spirits had come. But carelessness and disease had come as well. The sickness that had wracked the prison less than a year before was starting to creep back in, and Bane didn't want to take any chances.

"It makes my head too hot and difficult to breathe and it itches and I-"

"_Talia,_" he said finally, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder, "stop."

His tone was hard and final, and she closed her mouth with a sharp snap. It was amazing how much she had changed in the last few months. Talia had gone from a little wisp of a thing that had been absolutely terrified of him to a slightly less wisp like girl that wasn't afraid of curling up beside him at night or attempting to stage a less than covert rebellion.

The girl shifted, not wanting to obey, but then grudgingly took the scarf. Talia wrapped around her head, leaving her face bare so she could eat. Every inch of her was strained in silent protest, but if she wanted to waste her time sulking, he wasn't going to bother stopping her. Bane watched her for a second, the shook his head and pulled out the food bag.

For the last day or so, Talia had been in a dark mood. He wasn't sure what had caused it, only that it had started the day before when that prisoner had been murdered in front of their cell. He wasn't sure as they hadn't exactly talked about it, but he thought that it was because Talia had been reminded of her mother's horrible death. Bane hoped this wasn't the case, as there was not much he could do to comfort her.

He handed her a small piece of dried meat and half a seed cake, then the water skin. Talia ate silently, nodding at him in thanks. The water skin felt horribly light when Bane took it back from her, even though she had only taken a few sips. He was just relieved that the water vein trickling along one of the rock walls of his cell had thawed. During the winter, it had been a cold, glassy mockery that he had had to chip and work at to even get half a mouthful of water.

"Why doesn't Anina wear a headscarf?" Talia asked after a beat, and Bane glanced up at her. She was frowning, but it wasn't irritated like before. "Does she _want_ to get sick?"

He paused, unsure how to answer.

"I don't think she considers it worth her time," he began, which only made Talia frown harder. "She's a sick woman, and won't last for even half the year. In her mind, she's going to die soon either way, so there's no real point in wrapping herself up every time someone comes to see her."

"But what if she dies tomorrow? What about the people she'll leave behind?" Talia asked, tipping her head in confusion. She had in the process of raising a seed cake to her mouth, but seemed to have totally forgotten it.

"What about me? What about all of the things she has to tell me? Is she just going to leave it because she thinks she's going to die soon anyways? Doesn't she care about all that, Bane?"

Talia sounded truly hurt at the thought, which froze Bane's flat reply in his throat. She may have been horribly familiar with death, but the concept of wanting to die or a total apathy towards death was still so foreign to her.

"I…don't know, little one," he admitted after a moment. "She may care, she may not, she might just see it as futile to prolong the inevitable. It's not something someone other than her can easily answer."

She nodded after a moment, and resumed nibbling on the seed cake. His words seemed to have brought her out of her foul mood, though not necessarily into one that was much better.

Bane had just put away the food when Talia asked another question.

"Why doesn't Nasrin wear a headscarf, either?"

He paused, not having expected that name to have fallen from Talia's lips. He glanced back at her, and Talia shrugged, looking a little embarrassed.

"I mean, all of these people constantly go in and out of her cell, but she never wears anything to protect herself. Is she going to die soon, too?"

Bane rolled his eyes, wishing there was someone else he could shove this question off onto. Of course he knew why the woman didn't wear a head scarf, it would just get in the way when she was 'pleasuring' the other prisoners, as she put it, but that wasn't exactly something he wanted to explain to a little girl.

"She courts death," he said after a pause. Talia's eyes were confused for a moment before he explained.

"She…doesn't care, but not quite in the same way as Anina. She knows that she's going to die at some point, we all do, but she's more interested in being enjoying life to the fullest and dying a little early than being careful and lasting a little longer. So she figures that she may as well breathe freely and not under an itchy headscarf that makes it difficult to breathe." Talia squirmed at having her own words tossed back at her, mouth quirked in something that didn't want to show her smile.

After a moment the girl pursed her lips, clearly thinking that Nasrin's way of living had its merits if it meant not being stuffed into a head scarf every time she went out. But then her face cleared, as if she had just decided on something. Bane asked about it, and Talia shrugged.

"I was just thinking…that if I was like her, I would die early, and then I wouldn't get to be with you all the time," she said. Bane blinked, not having expected such an answer from the girl. Talia hadn't even realized the gravity of what she had just said, as she was now readjusting her scarf so that it settled properly over her nose and mouth.

He paused, wondering if should say something, or if there was anything _to_ say. In the end, he kept his mouth shut and gestured for her to follow him out of the cell.

They hadn't gone far when Talia slipped her hand into Bane's. He glanced down at the touch, familiar with it but unsure now. For some reason, things felt a little bit different after what she'd said, like something more was expected. But how could it, Talia hadn't even realized that there was generally something special associated with a comment like that. Bane pursed his lips behind his own head scarf, thinking that he was probably overreacting. He had known that she understood how vital he was to her survival, she had inadvertently implied as much right after he had rescued her from the mob that had killed her mother, and she had acted in ways that made it very obvious that she cared about him, but at the same time...there was something different about hearing it spoken out loud.

Talia was oblivious to what was going on in his head, even though she was scrutinizing her surroundings. She had this terrible habit of being so watchful that she tended to miss the things right in front of her. Had he not been there to guard her, there was no doubt that a pair of quick hands could whisk her away almost before she noticed.

As it was, Talia still skirted and shied away from people almost without seeming to realize it. He had always thought it amazing how naturally she could slip out of people's way, or subtly dance around something. She hardly seemed to notice how much effort it took, more intrigued with a bird perched on one of the walls, or the loud conversation echoing from across the Pit.

Finally, they reached Anina, Bane discharging Talia in the old woman's care.

"Be back whenever," she grunted as he left, a sort of formality by now than anything. Her eyes were inspecting Talia seriously as she spoke, and he felt his mouth twitch into the ghost of a smile as she grumbled "You need a haircut. Isn't he taking care of you at all? You're six now, you need to be treated properly." Talia shrugged, giving a tiny laugh at her comment.

Bane sauntered down to the doctor's cell, to check in and make sure nothing too terrible had happened. His promised week of protection was about up, but anything could happen these days, considering the state the prisoners were in.

There was another person in the doctor's cell when Bane walked up. The voice was low, making it impossible for him to distinguish who the speaker was. He pulled the scarf away from his head to hear better, just in time to catch the easy laugh that followed. It was familiar enough to give him a good idea as to who it was, even though he had only heard it a few times.

The doctor bustled around his cell, searching for something to give Nasrin, who was sitting on the table in the middle of the cell. It was low enough to serve as a combination between a chair and a bed, but also high enough to keep the man from having to stoop over when examining his patients. She wasn't wearing a shirt, rather, she had it pressed against her front, presumably to allow the doctor to inspect something on her back.

Bane leaned on the frame of the cell door, not wanting to intrude. The woman turned at the sound, expression of innocent curiosity turning into a less than innocent smile.

"Well, look at that. I take my shirt off and the next second, tiger's come along to see."

He pursed his lips together, looking lazily away and saying "Hurry up and put your shirt on so you can leave. I've got business with the doctor."

The doctor had turned around by now, and was watching the interaction with raised eyebrows. Nasrin cast him a look, eyebrows raised, which made the doctor shrug as if to say 'Well, _I'm_ not a part of this'. She gave one of her silent, open mouthed laughs, gold teeth gleaming for all to see. It was kind of a wonder she had them still. Up on the surface, people would hardly be above ripping the gold out of a person's teeth, even if they weren't a prostitute. In that sense at least, it was probably a stroke of luck that she had ended up down there. Money and gold had no real value in the Pit. Blankets, food and water were the things people fought and died for.

"Where's the kid?" she asked, ignoring what he'd said. Bane shrugged, containing his annoyance at the woman. He shot a glance at the doctor, who got the message and busily began rummaging back through some of his things once more.

"Elsewhere," he said simply, which made her cock an eyebrow. Though he didn't know her very well, Bane had a feeling that her expression had turned a little darker, like something bothered her.

"What, that mean you finally loaned him out to somebody? From the way things looked, you were hording 'im up all for yourself. But then, everybody owin' you, that's what you said, right?"

Bane shifted, hating the thought even if it was never going to happen. Nasrin's smile grew a little wider, and Bane felt his annoyance grow at the thought of having given something else away to the woman.

"Oh,_ no, _that's not the case? Well, well, what're we gonna say 'bout that?"

"That he's too pretty lay a finger on," he said, an unamused smile on his lips. Nasrin's look became a little darker, recalling what she had told him in their first conversation together. She shrugged and sighed as if admitting defeat, then began tugging on her shirt. Bane causally looked away when her chest was exposed, then returned to her face as she slid to her feet.

"Thanks, Doctor. I'll just be takin' this," she said, reaching around him to pull a small container full of medicine out of his hands. The doctor looked around, wearing an expression that looked both surprised and a little disappointed as she swished away. Nasrin walked towards Bane, who hadn't moved, then she paused, leaning back to meet his eye.

"Make sure you tell the kid hello for me," she drawled, that soft smile from a few days before coming back onto her face. "He needs a few friends in here, don't you think?"

She patted his arm, letting it drag up to his shoulder as she walked away. Bane glanced back at her, mouth pursed. When he looked back at the doctor, it was to see the old man grinning. The doctor shook his head but didn't say anything, probably guessing from Bane's narrowed eyes that saying anything might land him with a broken wrist.

"I'm here as-"

"Yes, yes, I know why you're here," he said, waving a hand and trying to smother the remains of his smile. "Nothing's happened. A few came over here a few days back, tried to scare me, but I told them you'd probably be coming round soon and they left. Nothing serious. Eyphah showing up himself is the only thing I'm worried about, and if he _does_ come when you're not around, you'd know by the screaming." The way the man said it was so simple, like it was the most basic of facts and not the slightest bit of an exaggeration. The sad bit was that it wasn't. It hadn't taken a man being killed up against his cell to show Bane how cruel Eyphah was.

"Do you need anything else?" he asked, and the man shrugged.

"No, nothing. Not unless you want to trade more of your services..."

"No," he said flatly. "I've got what I need. I might check after the next food drop, but as is, we're fine."

The doctor nodded, frowning at the ground. He glanced around after a second, then shuffled a little closer to Bane.

"You're making sure that child is doing alright?" he whispered, voice harsh from unkind years in the past. Bane just looked at the man, not bothering to answer. They hadn't discussed Talia before, and he didn't exactly want to start now. The less anyone talked about her, the better.

"It's just...her mother, she wanted me to take care of her child, and I...I haven't. She seems healthy enough, but I don't-"

"I'm not here to listen to your confessions, doctor," Bane said, tone blunt and unapologetic. The doctor paused, looking up at Bane's face. "But the child's being taken care of."

He nodded after a moment, retreating a little farther into the cell.

"Good to hear, good to hear. If anything new happens...if I get any herbs that I think you might need, I'll tell you." The doctor turned his back on Bane, beginning to clean up his cell a little. Bane straightened, recognizing the dismissal and turned to walk away. He had been rather surprised at the sincerity in the doctor's face, but then, it was a little surprising to see anything but a morphine induced stupor from the man on most days.

Bane walked back to Anina's cell, felling unhurried until he saw someone standing outside of it. They were clearly speaking, gesturing slightly. Bane's stomach flipped, and he ran through the list of people that would feel the need to stop and converse with the old woman. He was finished before he began, because no one needed to speak to her, _no one_. To everyone else in the Pit, she was just the old woman that was going senile (Bane had learned that this wasn't exactly true, more of an act the woman put on to get people off of her back, but it certainly kept people away). There was _no need _for someone to talk to her!

He lengthened his stride, shortening the distance between him and the man, between him and Talia, then felt his insides constrict.

It was Eyphah. He was speaking to Talia, Bane now saw, an unpleasant smile in his eyes. Talia was staring at him, but her mouth was pressed tightly shut. Anina glared at the man, as though straining to think of a way to get him to leave that wouldn't end poorly.

"What are you doing?" Bane said roughly, coming level with Eyphah. The man turned to look at him, body loose and completely unaffected by the menacing being before him.

"I'm speaking to your little boy. Is that alright? I'd hate to think that you're becoming _possessive,_ and might not want to _share,_ Bane."

"And I'd hate to think that you're terrifying him. It's difficult enough to get him to do what he's told without having him scared stiff."

"If he's so terrified of men, I don't think you're doing your job right. We might have to rethink the way things are going if that's the case." He had this mock look of worry, but underneath there was a muddle of dark, dark thoughts that it made Bane's stomach clench. It would be so easy for Eyphah to twist things against him, to rile the crowd so that next time, it would be Bane that was beaten and the victim of a mob. If he didn't play things right, didn't convince Eyphah that he was doing what he promised, then things could turn very poorly for him, let alone Talia.

"I'd hardly say that I'm not doing my job correctly. Look at what you did to his mother. That fear you put into him is not going to go over just a few months."

Eyphah pursed his lips as if weighing the options, then shrugged.

"If you say so, Bane. You know I'd never doubt your judgment." He slipped past him, blue and brown eyes cold and dark. Bane waited for Eyphah to disappear from sight before nodding at Anina to unlock the cell. She was shaking when she pulled out the key.

"I lock it every time you leave, but have mercy, never thought I would be so thankful I did," she said, voice trembling.

"Did he do anything to you?" he asked, and the woman shook her head.

"No, no, he tried to get in, tried to convince me to open the cell but I wouldn't. Woulda bit his hand off first."

"And Talia?" he asked softly, eyes on the little girl. She was curled into a ball, eyes horribly wide.

"I don't know...I only understood a handful of the things he said to her, never bothered learning too many languages, but it sounded pretty ominous to me. It seemed like they had a history together to me, though."

"The only history they had was when Eyphah dragged her mother out of her cell," Bane said flatly, walking over to Talia. He crouched down in front of her, eyes worried and serious. Talia stared at his face for a moment, terror written all over her face, terror, terror, _terror,_ and then she broke and fell into his arms. She was dry sobbing, but Bane had a feeling it was only because she was too scared to make actual tears. He picked her up and gave a nod to Anina, murmuring a quick thanks to her as he walked out. He knew that she had risked her life to help protect Talia just now. By refusing Eyphah, she had just worked her way into his sights, which was never a place anyone wanted to be.

Talia had quieted down by now, but she still shook. He carried her back up to their cell, moving quickly to avoid as many people as possible. A few long, tense minutes later, he was locking the door behind them, and then sinking onto the cot.

He pulled Talia away from his shoulder and looked into her eyes. Tears had managed to work their way into her eyes, though he hadn't noticed before.

"What is it, what did he say?" he asked, but she shook her head. "_Talia,_" he whispered, "please. What did Eyphah say?"

"He-he-_he said I was just like him,_" she said, voice more a sob than anything. After a moment, he realized that she was speaking in her original language, something she hadn't done for a while now. For some reason, the words sounded more haunting, more forlorn that way, probably because this was the language she was most comfortable in, the one she had first learned to laugh and cry in.

Bane looked at her, completely confused. There was something deeper here, something Bane didn't know that rationalized this statement, because Eyphah didn't do anything without proper reasoning.

Talia's blue eyes looked grey in the fading light, and she was biting her lip, terrified to tell him something. Panic and confusion snapped in his chest, wondering what on earth had happened and not entirely sure that he wanted to know the answer. He paused a moment, then gently asked "Talia, what happened?"

"I-I-I'd forgotten," she began, voice trembling as she gasped for breath, trying to pull herself back together. He clenched his jaw, getting answers was like pulling teeth, leaving him to fill in the blanks in about the worst ways possible because _things didn't bother Talia,_ not like this. She may look worried and think about something so much anyone else's head might explode, but she didn't break down. Even when she did cry, it was a handful of generally angry tears that were quickly wiped away. She hated crying, Talia had once told Bane that she was afraid it made her seem weak, unable to protect herself, unable to be a fighter, like he was. He had just laughed and shaken his head at the time, but now...things felt a little different.

"After everything, I had forgotten what happened, and Bane, Bane, _I don't want to remember,_ not if it means-"

"_What_?" he demanded, voice raising slightly because he needed to know what had happened that she didn't want to remember, that was so terrible involving Eyphah that Talia had been reduced to a sad shaking heap.

"I _stabbed_ someone," she confessed, throwing herself back into his chest. Bane blinked a moment, rather stunned at this declaration. That was...it? She had stabbed someone, _that_ was what was causing all of this?

Mild surprise rippled through him, because she most certainly hadn't done that when under his care, and there was practically no chance of her being able to get away with that while with her mother. Really, the only time that she would have had a chance to do that was...when the mob had come in and attacked her and her mother.

Talia was gasping now, crying having slowed somewhat. The words nearly unintelligible between the tears, the trembling voice and the fact that her face was now pressed into his neck, but Bane managed to understand enough to piece together the story.

Sometime between the first group of men storming the cell and Bane coming in, Talia's mother had tried defending her daughter. She'd grabbed for a knife, but had it wrestled away from her. That was when Talia had grabbed up the knife at stabbed one of the attackers in the back.

"One of the prisoners p-pulled me away, into the corner, but I was t-t-too scared to try to help her again. I-I _hurt_ him, for no reason, Bane, I don't-" She broke off, unable to continue speaking. Bane held her tightly, stroking her hair and trying to keep her from being swallowed by the memories plaguing her. The fact that she was broken apart by hurting someone was a perversely novel idea, but then, he still didn't really know what Eyphah had said to her, what he had done to twist it all into something so terrible.

"Talia, it's alright," he whispered to her, her tears having stained a large part of his collar, but he really didn't care. "You were trying to save your mother, that was a good thing, that was a _good thing_ for you to do. Not many people could have had the courage to do that."

"But Eyphah, he said...today at Anina's cell, he told me that he'd seen what I'd done," she said, sounding utterly ashamed. "He said that he could understand what I'd done, that he would do the same thing. He said-he said that we were more alike than anyone else, and that-and that I should be with him and not you. Bane, I don't want to be like, I don't ever want to."

Sudden understanding crashed over Bane, making his blood burn in absolute anger. Eyphah had been jealous of Bane in such a sick, twisted way, coveting Talia because of the mere fact that he couldn't have her any time soon, that he couldn't just walk up to Bane, threaten him and expect the little girl to be dropped in his hand. So he had gone about it all in a different fashion, a horrible, horrible fashion that sent Talia to the edge and very nearly began to redefine what she knew. He had planned to manipulate her in any way possible to make her think that she didn't belong with Bane, whom didn't really want her no matter what was said or done, but that he, Eyphah, would gladly welcome her. The thought of what that man might have done to Talia, to his soft, inquisitive and bright Talia made him feel both like being sick and splintering every bone in Eyphah's body.

"You couldnever be like him," he assured Talia, who pulled her head back to stare at him, unconvinced.

"But Bane, I-"

"No, listen to me. You are not like him, no matter what you do, no matter where life takes you, you will _never_ be like Eyphah. He is sick and cruel, hurting people for pleasure and to pass the time, because he can. You, Talia, you...if you were like him, would you be crying right now?"

She frowned at him tearfully, looking like she didn't want to agree with him. After a moment, however, she shook her head slowly. Almost immediately, her mouth snapped open to protest further. Bane put a hand on his face, then pressed his forehead against hers.

"Talia, you are no monster like him. Do you think I would lie to you?"

Again, she shook her head.

"Then believe me. Believe me, Talia, please."

"Okay," she breathed. Talia held on to him even tighter as if to show her good faith, comforted by what he had said. Bane, on the other hand, still had a pile of worries to deal with.

Eyphah had taken the risk and tried to reach Talia, despite what Bane might do in vengeance. Just as he had feared, the moment when he would stop being a big enough threat to keep the other men away had come. He rested his head against the wall behind him, closing his eyes because he didn't know what do to keep them away. Or rather, he knew what he _could_ do, but it was something that he wanted to leave as the very last option, before letting the men take Talia for their own.

_Well, it looks like you don't have much choice left. This is going to have to happen, one way or another._

Bane clenched his teeth, just hoping that Talia would be understanding when the time came.

_**AN Well, isn't that ominous. This chapter was a little peculiar to write, because I'm starting to ease the two of them into the 'more' stage of their relationship, but still juggling all of the aspects I've already developed. Kind of a tough challenge, but good all the same.**_

_**Please review, tell me what you thought of the chapter! I'm always excited to know.  
**_

_**(ps asdfjkl; I love Nasrin so much more than I should, considering how small a role she plays, BUT STILL. She's lovely, in a kind of shady way.)  
**_


	11. drastic steps

**_AN I know that this chapter was put out in under a month (just barely, but hey), but this relative lateness was in part due to finals, which I can't really mess with. But for the rest of it, I entirely blame Batman (isn't that what you're supposed to do when you're in trouble? Blame Batman?). About a week and a half ago, I decided that I needed to start watching Batman: The Animated Series, and it's just been one giant haze 90s Batman in all its art deco, historically confused glory (seriously. Suits, cars and Tommy Guns from the 30s, preppy clothes and TVs from the 50s, other miscellaneous clothes from the 90s, not to mention technology from the 90s and even now. You go, 90s Batman. You're not about to be bound by any laws of historical accuracy, no sir).  
_**

**_I just really love Joey King. Every time I feel sad or unsure of what to write, I go look at her, writhe at how cute she is and then come back and describe whatever Talia's doing and continue writing. It's pretty effective at the moment.  
_**

The desperate, hopeful shouts from the prisoners rang through the Pit, begging yet another man to rise. Bane ran a hand over his eyes, glancing at Talia. She just couldn't seem to help herself whenever she heard the chants echoing around the cavern, drawn to the bars overlooking the inside of the Pit, a prime view of where the men attempted to jump to freedom. Every part of her was totally invested in whether or not they would make it, because if they did succeed, that meant someone else might make it as well.

When they invariably fell, though, she would stand there, stiff for a second, then slowly sagged down on herself, shuffling off to do something else. This time, Talia walked over to Bane, climbing over him on the cot. She curled up in her usual place between him and the wall, not saying anything. She pulled the orange scarf out from under her shirt, looking at it sadly, as if to remember.

Bane watched her, recalling so clearly how she had said she wanted to escape the Pit, how she wanted something new. That had never truly left his head, but he was always wondering about when would be the right time, if there would be a way for them to slip off without anyone noticing. As it was, it looked like they might have to try and escape during the night. He had made sure to work her harder when they had been training, and was fairly sure that she could make it up to the ledge if need be, but the problem came when they needed to jump. Did she really have the strength to make it that far? Did he? Would either of them have a choice, in the end?

"Bane, what are you thinking about?" she mumbled after a moment. He glanced down at her, a little surprised when he saw that she hadn't even opened her eyes when she asked the question.

"Nothing practical, little one," he said softly, closing his own eyes. "What is it you were thinking about?"

"I was thinking about my mother. She told me once that there were a bunch of places people went after they died, depending on what they believed in."

"And what do you believe in? Where do you think we'll go?" he asked, curious as to the religious thoughts of a little girl who hadn't really had the chance to be taught about the laws and practices of the various faiths wandering the city above.

"Some place better," she said after a pause, yawn breaking up her words. "I don't know exactly, but somewhere better. Anywhere else."

Bane clenched his teeth together, not liking how casually she accepted the fact that she was living in an absolute hell, and that any place, no matter what the people or conditions were like, would be an improvement on what they had now.

He shifted, then ran a hand over her hair, stroking it until he was sure she was asleep.

* * *

When Bane woke the next morning, there was a dull buzz in the Pit. It was lighter and more peaceful sounding than normal, which Bane took to be a good sign. Maybe that would make the reactions of his next step a little less explosive.

The whispered good morning in his ear made Bane turn his head, not at all surprised to find Talia watching him. She was almost always awake before him, laying there quietly and taking in his every detail with those large blue eyes. He whispered good morning back, running a hand over her hair. Anina had been right, it needed to be cut.

Talia stifled a giggle and buried her face in her hands, squirming at his touch.

Bane sat up, looking away from her. Sometimes it was so, so easy to forget she was just a little girl. When her eyes looked on terrible acts like they were supposed to be everyday occurrences, or when she said something astonishingly wise for her age, it was so very easy to look at her like she was an old soul. But at other times, like now, her youth would burst forth and tug at his heart.

They ate in silence, Talia's eyes were on the far wall, demanding for its secrets. She hadn't mentioned it after the first time so long ago, but Bane was sure that she had been longing to leave the Pit, longing to see the sights and people and creatures inhabiting his stories.

When they were finished, Bane had Talia run through the exercise regimen, pushing her a little harder, urging her to go a little longer. The worst possible thing he could imagine was her being too weak to finish the climb out of the Pit, forcing the two of them to retreat down into the clutches of the enraged prisoners. Talia may not have understood why he was pressing her so, but seemed to sense it was important, so she stayed quiet.

Eventually Talia flopped down on her stomach, panting slightly. She rolled onto her back, staring at the rocky ceiling.

"Is it happy out there, Bane?" she asked after a moment. "Are there happy places for people to go?"

Her voice was soft, like she was afraid of speaking too loud and scaring the potential happy places away. Almost unconsciously, she had slipped back into her native language, the sounds so much prettier than English.

"In some places," he said, watching her face. "Some places there are people who have no real worries, who always know when and where they are going to eat and actually enjoy the food provided. And in others, it's like this. A few might even say it's worse, because there is no one to help them, no place to sleep to stay out of the rain or snow. It all depends on where you go."

"I'm going to find those happy places, Bane," she told him. Talia didn't say it like it was a childish hope or wish, but a mere fact. She would work and climb and claw her way to the top, and she would stay there as long as she wanted.

"Maybe we'll even find them together," he said, resting his arms on his knees. "But before that, we have places to be."

Talia sat up and looked at him, a curious frown on her face.

"Where are we going?"

"To the doctor's," he said, pulling on his headscarf. Talia nodded, then stood to fetch her own headscarf.

A few minutes later they were walking down to the bottom of the Pit, Talia holding Bane's hand as she watched her feet. Most of the prisoners had amassed at the bottom, in high spirits at the good weather, and every so often her eyes would be drawn to them. Talia seemed to be in awe that so many of them could come together and remain amiable.

Bane cut through the thinner parts of the crowd, catching snippets of conversation. They all seemed to think that the food would be dropped today, and were entertaining the idea that fresh food might actually be amongst the supplies. A few eyes followed both him and Talia, but no one stopped them, much to Bane's relief. Eyphah had done a wonder at stirring up the crowds, and wasn't eager to see what they'd do when riled.

When they reached the doctor's cell, Bane called the man's attention with a rough word. In moments he was clambering over to Bane, blinking at him for a few moments before focusing.

"Bane?" he asked thickly, and Bane bit down on the irritation in his stomach. Clearly the man was in the grip of his drug, but Bane wasn't about to walk away and waste his own time.

Talia let go of Bane and clung to his pant leg, possibly frightened by the haze the doctor was in.

"Yes. I need something for a fever. The child's been weak lately, and I don't want him to become sick and waste all of my time."

Talia shifted behind him, but Bane didn't spare her a glance. He knew she couldn't understand him as he had switched languages, but it would be difficult for her to miss his hard tone.

"Fever? Fever, people always dying of fever," the doctor murmured, leaning against the bars of the door.

"Yes, and I'm trying to avoid that," Bane said, voice terse. He had very little patience for the doctor, and hardly ever took the time to be kind and convincing when speaking to the man, opting to go straight to blunt force right away. It was mostly because Bane had an incredible amount of contempt for his addiction. If he wanted to wreck his own life, Bane had no right to intrude, but to endanger other's lives because the doctor couldn't keep from his little drug was absolutely deplorable in Bane's eyes.

"I'll get some right away," he mumbled in agreement, stumbling back. Bane sighed through his nose, watched the man search through his various boxes and bags. Finally he came back, hand shaking as he held a tiny bottle.

"Here, these...these are what you want," the doctor told Bane, handing it through the bars of his cell door. Bane took it, grunting out a thank you and turning away.

Talia followed close behind him, quiet until they left the doctor's earshot.

"What'd he give you?" she asked, and Bane glanced down at her.

"Fever medicine. It'll come in handy later." The look in her eyes was serious as she nodded, and he knew that she had understood 'later' to mean 'once we're out of the Pit'.

They walked out of the hallway of cells and out into the opening of the Pit. There seemed to be fewer people, but there were heavier things on Bane's mind.

He guided Talia along the wall surrounding the opening, then stopped in front of the climbing spot. He picked her up and set her back down on top of the wall, so that her she was nearly level with him. Talia kept hold of his shoulder as he settled her down, eyes wide behind her headscarf. She pulled her headscarf away from her face, showing him her displeased expression.

"Bane?"

"Look up, little one," he told her, tipping his head back to the wall behind her. Talia's eyebrows contracted before she glanced back, unsure what he wanted.

"I want you to look for hand holds, foot holds, any route to the top."

She nodded reluctantly, then looked back at the wall. Bane's stomach was uneasy as he looked back at the other prisoners and noticed that more and more were watching. He knew that this was the most opportune moment to do it, but that didn't really make him feel better. How would Talia react to this plan he had concocted that might or might not even work?

"Talia?" Bane asked, a bare whisper in her ear. She turned, then leaned back, surprised that he was so close. He looked into her eyes, searching to see if she trusted him. The answer was simple and easy to find. Of course she trusted him, she had the moment he had held her in his arms and told her that her mother was dead.

Bane kissed her, right there in full view of the entire Pit. It felt like the whole place fell quiet as she completely froze, not even daring to breathe. He pulled away a moment later, but she still didn't move. Not to run away, not to readjust herself, just sat there.

After a moment she blinked and her gaze focused on something behind Bane, then she dropped her eyes to the floor. He looked over his shoulder, scanning the faces of the other convicts. Several watched the two of them, eyes dark and hungry, hardly caring about what he had just done, but a ways off stood Eyphah. He was leaning against a boulder, seemingly listening to one of his followers, but his hard gaze was fastened on Bane.

He gave Bane a smile that was a thousand times angrier than a snarl, then man gave a tight nod as if to say he accepted Bane's insanely rash move. It was a statement, clear as day, and Eyphah knew it. Bane had before spent so much time making sure that no one ever touched Talia, including himself. Eyphah had noticed this, noticed the careful way Bane held himself around her, placed his hand on her shoulder or back, even when he picked her up. This intense care taken when he was around Talia was probably the base of all Eyphah's disbelief at Bane's explanation of why he kept Talia around.

Now, though, he had smashed that entirely apart and staked his claim for Talia, out in the open for all to see. If Eyphah wanted to even look at Talia in a certain way, he would have to fight Bane for it.

If Eyphah had been the type to go to blows over such a thing, make it a contest of physicality and quick thinking in a fight, Bane had no doubts he would win. Eyphah was much slimmer and quite a bit shorter, but that wasn't the way he did things. Getting inside people's heads and twisting their souls until they were barely recognizable, that was how he won his wars. And unfortunately, he had all too many people to make writhe.

Bane pulled his eyes away from the man, scared to think what would be his next action. As he skimmed over the crowd, searching for any other threat, Bane caught sight of another person watching him.

It was Nasrin, standing just to the side of a group of men. Her mouth was thin and her arms tightly folded against her chest, giving the impression that she didn't exactly like what he had just done. They watched each other for a moment, and then gave him a quick smile, every bit as humorless as Eyphah's had been. Then she turned and swished away, leaving Bane the impression that he had just lost what might have been an ally.

"Bane," Talia whispered in his ear, sounding small and afraid. He looked at her, shocked to have realized that amidst it all, he had managed to forget the little girl sitting beside him, the one he had done all of this for. Her forehead was wrinkled in worry, making him want to brush it smooth.

"Yes, Talia?" he asked, voice hardly able to get past the lump in his throat.

"What's going to happen now?" Her voice was almost resigned when she asked the question, like she wasn't even going to try and fight what happened next, even if she hated. He bit his cheek, then gave her what he hoped was a comforting smile.

"We try to keep them off of you just a little bit longer."

* * *

Talia skipped ahead of Bane, glancing back every few seconds to flash him a grin. Even now, a few days later, he was a little surprised at how quickly she had adjusted to the situation. Despite everything her mother had told her to do and not to do, specifically with men, Talia had handed her fate over to Bane. She trusted his actions, even if she didn't understand them and quite possibly hated them.

Of course things couldn't stop with just one kiss. To convince Eyphah that Bane meant what he'd done, he had to become a lot more possessive of Talia. Rather than shrug off the looks from the other prisoners, Bane had to take a more direct standing. He didn't ever go so far as to attack or threaten them, merely shifted himself between them and Talia, make a slight gesture to dissuade them from coming any closer. In addition to that, he felt like he was required to touch Talia more. Nothing terrible or perverse, just _more._ He knew that in another situation he wouldn't give much attention to an extra brush on the head, or lifting her onto his lap when they were sitting, knew that there wasn't anything indecent to it. But at the same time, he knew that he wouldn't be doing it had he not kissed her.

Talia seemed remarkably calm about the whole thing, relaxing into her role when she figured out how far Bane was going to go, but he doubted he would ever be able to shake the look of worry and slight fear in her eyes after they had headed back to the cell after the kiss. He wished there had been something else he could have done to buy her a little bit more time, but there was nothing he could do about that.

Anina hadn't had anything to say about the matter, though it was clear that she had heard about it from the way she looked at Bane when they next saw each other. She had insisted on giving Talia a haircut, and while the little girl clambered onto the stool, the old woman had narrowed her eyes at him, as if to say she would make him regret it if he ever hurt or used Talia. That was it, though, not another moment spent on the matter.

"You men just don' know how to handle a razor," she had growled at him next, after barking at Talia not to move. "You use one every few days, and you think that makes you an _expert_ at it." She made a sound that was halfway between a scoff and her spitting.

"You don't have to do this," Bane had said, privately thinking that with her failing eyes and hands that were wont to shake, it would be a miracle if Talia got away without getting her head slashed. Of course, if he said that, Anina would only kick him out and go ahead and do it anyways.

Anina fixed him with a look that, despite being clouded by cataracts, seemed to stab to his soul.

"Just sit down and be quiet, if you wanna watch. Otherwise, _get._"

Bane had sat down on her cot, watching as she set the blade to Talia's scalp. The little girl seemed nervous, but not for the sake of her safety. She kept reaching up and touching a bit of her hair, which hung in a shaggy mess around her ears. If he had to guess, Bane would say that she was more worried about how she'd look than anything.

Every few minutes Talia made a face at him, as if to pass the time as the old woman methodically cut her hair. She didn't shave it all off, but cut it just long enough so that the scalp couldn't be seen underneath. To his surprise, Anina's hands hadn't shook in the slightest while the blade was near Talia's head, as if every part of her was pushed into awareness at the thought of the little girl being hurt.

Now that her hair was done and she was allowed to roam free, Talia's energy was practically bursting out of her. It was strange, seeing her so happy and lighthearted, dancing around and looking giddy like a child her age was supposed to. When they reached a section of the Pit where more prisoners congregated, Talia quickly migrated back towards Bane. She walked a little ahead of him, steps careful and light, like she expected having to jump aside at any second.

As she walked, Talia did her typical scan of her surroundings, the continuous and rather casual observation of everyone and everything, making sure no one came too close. For all the attention she paid everyone, she seemed to miss the numerous looks she was attracting. Bane hadn't realized at first, either, but then all at once, he realized people were staring, men literally leering at them.

No, he corrected himself, heart sinking, at _Talia. _Something had changed in them over the last day, and he suspected Eyphah was at the root of it.

He glanced around, wanting to get out of there as fast as possible. It felt like the two of them were under a very bright spotlight, and any false move would send these jackals down on their heads.

If he thought things were precarious before, they would be nightmarish now. The other prisoners seemed to be suddenly aware of Bane's declaration, and were predictably openly hostile about it. What had Eyphah said, exactly? What was their version of the truth?

As if reading his mind, Eyphah called out to him. Bane turned towards his voice, reaching out a hand to stop Talia. The man was lounging on a path above the two of them, grinning lazily. He may have had his head covered in a headscarf, but the starkly mismatched eyes were unmistakable. Plus, Eyphah was the only person who looked so utterly at ease in their little nightmare.

"I told the others about what you said, about how the little boy's scared of men," he called, as if finally doing a job he had neglected to do for so long. He was speaking in a different language than usual, probably so more people could understand what he was saying. Bane had to wonder if Talia could understand as well.

He narrowed his eyes at him, knowing that Eyphah could read the snarl behind the headscarf. Talia pressed a little closer to Bane, probably now aware of the eyes of the men.

"Strangely enough, they thought that was a little _funny, _I don't know why. But then they told me that they thought this fear that the kid has may be because of, well, _your_ influence."

Bane grit his teeth, mind racing. Eyphah had just backed them towards the edge of a cliff, but it was the terrible fall that Bane was more worried about. How could he deflect this, how could he keep Eyphah from shoving them over and leaving the natural momentum of the prisoner's anger to do the rest? There was no way he could convince these people that Eyphah was manipulating them for his own gains, there was no time.

"My influence? Why would I do that?"

"Oh, I don't know. I said it was a little odd, but what do I know? You're the one taking care of him."

Bane didn't answer, merely scooped Talia up and walked back to their cell. She was silent the entire time, face buried in his shoulder.

Once they were safe inside their cell, Talia looked at him, eyes worried.

"What did he say?" she asked, and a small wash of relief went through him, because it was that much less fear she had to deal with.

"Nothing important," he said easily, pulling his headscarf off. When he turned back to look at her, Bane found Talia frowning at him, unimpressed.

"Nothing you should hear," he amended after a moment, which seemed to satisfy her. She pulled herself up onto the cot, staring at her toes in a removed sort of way. Bane watched her, hating the thought that one day Eyphah would win, would turn the other prisoners against him and leave this poor little girl utterly defenseless.

He sat down beside her on the cot, attracting her gaze.

"We can't stay here much longer," he whispered to her, paranoid that someone might be lurking nearby. Talia's eyes brightened with understanding, and she glanced around, a little alarmed.

"You mean..._leave_?"

"Yes. The prisoners...they're not going to stay decent for much longer. We need to get out before something terrible happens."

Talia nodded, eyebrows dropped low. She looked at him, then beyond to the opposite wall. She was probably thinking about how she had just watched a man attempt to climb it, yet failed. When her eyes focused back on Bane, they were determined.

"Okay," she whispered. "When will we do it?"

He sucked in a breath, aware that the chances of them escaping were small as it was. But then, if they tried to climb up, there would be no ties to hold them back. The only thing the two of them cared about were each other, and that was really all they needed to survive.

Bane put a hand over hers, a silent promise to her.

"Soon. We have to get the right supplies, plan a little more. Then we'll go."

Talia nodded at him, breaking into a bright smile.

"Lay down now, Talia. We'll need all the rest we can get," he told her, and the little girl obediently curled up against the wall. He felt her drift off, felt her body relax and her breathing become slow and gentle whispers beside him. Bane closed his eyes, but couldn't manage to fall asleep. Eyphah weighed too heavily on his mind for that, and what on earth he and Talia were supposed to do after escaping the Pit. But then, he supposed that they could really do anything. Dwelling on a future with so many unimaginable possibilities had no real purpose, and would only distract him from what needed to be taken care of.

_**AN This chapter was kind of strange to write. I really wanted to make it clear that Bane's actions were out of basic necessity to buy them a bit of time, quite possibly to the point of being a little heavy handed, but at the same time, I couldn't make it so that there's absolutely no interest, because that would kind of put a monkey wrench in the idea that they fall in love later in life.**_

_**It's all just a little weird at the moment.  
**_


	12. weigh what's been done

**_AN I figured that if I was going to be on the computer and not study for the final I have tomorrow, I might as well work on the chapter. Yaaaaay priorities. Also booooo procrastinating, of any sort.  
_**

**_Also, something that a reader pointed out to me that I rather liked, the way I write Bane for this story, at least, is a much more human version than in the movies. The observation was something I found very interesting because it shows that he was more or less like other people before he was savaged and went through all of the monstrous stuff he went through. I think this chapter really shows that, because while everything is calculated and done for a purpose by him, he still is driven largely by and even acts on his emotions, rather than doing something because it is the best tactical play._**

"Bane, when are we going to see Anina again?" Talia asked, curled up against his chest. Bane glanced down at her, then ran a hand over her face. As the days had passed, Talia had become more and more comfortable with their new way of interacting like she had never known anything else.

In the first few days after he had kissed her, she had very cautious around him, kind of like she had been when he had first saved her. Talia waited and watched, unsure of what was expected. When she was sure this new layer was just a front, she seemed to put up with it more than anything. It had taken some restraint on his behalf to not laugh as he watched the look of vague annoyance flit across her face as he picked her up from where she was playing or adjust her to a closer, more personal position. Now, though, she adjusted as required, going with whatever was thrown her way.

That was one thing in favor of the Pit, he supposed. It caused people to adapt to their situations. Where other people slowly clunked into place, she had been born with the need already internalized so that she could change to anything necessary.

Now they were sitting on the floor of their cell, Bane leaning against the cot while Talia sat in his lap and played with an oblong stone she had found. She made a face at him and batted his hand away, frowning at him, awaiting his answer.

"I don't know, little one. I think you've learned enough from her."

"But I don't want to just go there to _learn_," she whined, leaning her head against his bare chest.

Another concession to the ruse was that they had to seem more intimate, and therefore, less likely to wear clothes around each other. Of course he couldn't allow Talia to run around without half her clothes on, firstly because the last time she hadn't worn her shirt around the other prisoners, back when the rains had been heavy enough to bathe in, she just about had a panic attack. Secondly, with the disgusting whispers Eyphah put in the other men's ears, Bane didn't want to chance any extra swathe of skin Talia had to give. The next logical thing, of course, was him losing clothes, or at least his shirt. When combined with the lack of space between the two of them, Bane decided that the performance should satisfy Eyphah and the rest of the sincerity of his claim.

"I know you care about her, but we have to be careful," he said, looking out over the Pit. "The men are watching us closely, and if we give them an opening, they will be sure to take it. It will be a lot worse than Eyphah talking to you on the other side of a cell."

"Will it be like what happened to Mother?" she asked softly, eyes on her hands as they fiddled with the rock. Bane looked down at her, scanning the way her eyebrows furrowed, how distant her voice seemed.

"Worse," he said. Talia glanced up at him, unwillingly, it seemed, blue eyes large and scared. He met her gaze, wanting her to understand the horrible possibility that was becoming more and more likely. Almost unconsciously she tightened her hold on the rock, fist clenching against his chest.

"Remember, though," Bane told her, voice just as serious, "I will always protect you. You believe me, right?"

"Yes, I believe you," Talia mumbled, nuzzling against him. "I always believe you."

Bane didn't answer, just went back to looking out at the Pit.

* * *

As much as Bane didn't want to, he had to leave Talia alone. The prisoners had been warned earlier that day that the food was due to drop within a few hours, and there was no practical way he could bring her with him to grab some of the rations. Of course, he had gone to get food rations without her before, as she would have just been a hindrance. Now, though, with Eyphah just waiting for a chance to spring, and the prisoners far more agitated than he had ever seen them, bringing her along would be asking for even more trouble. The likelihood of someone reaching out and taking her when he wasn't looking was far too high, and while he felt uncomfortable leaving her alone in the cell, he felt even worse about leaving her partially unprotected even when she was by his side.

Talia looked at him with her large blue eyes, frowning as he stepped out of the cell. He nodded at her from behind his headscarf, silently bidding her farewell. She bit her lip, the hurried forward to the door.

"Stay safe," she blurted, keep her eyes on him. He smiled at her, then patted her head.

"Of course," he told her, then turned to walk down the path.

As he walked, Bane realized what a freedom it was to not have to worry about guarding Talia. At first he caught himself glancing over his shoulder, trying to keep the little girl in his sight before he realized that she was back in the cell, sitting quietly on the cot and waiting for him to come back. It was a quiet relief, but at the same time Bane felt..._empty_ at the absence of her presence. The continual brush of her against his side, her small hand in his, the tiny hums and grunts she made at everything around her, without all of that surrounding him, Bane felt a profound sense of loss. It was inexplicably bizarre how he had been content with his life before her (considering the circumstances), but now whenever he was without her for extended periods, it all seemed lacking.

"Where's your shadow, tiger?"

Bane snapped back to attention, noticing Nasrin lounging against the bars of her cell a ways down the path. She was using middle supporting bar as an elbow rest, so that her forearms hung outside, hands clasped. He drew in a breath, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"He's elsewhere. Why does that matter to you?"

"No reason, I guess. But I like seeing the little guy around. Not too many pretty things to look at down here, ya know?" Nasrin's smile was the strange gentle one he had only seen her wear once or twice. There wasn't anything ominous or perverse in it, just a soft joy that was so rarely found in the Pit.

Nasrin's smile changed within moments of him thinking this, turning coy and cheeky as she tipped her head towards the doorway.

"You wanna step in, or stand out there like some vagrant?" she asked. Bane glanced back towards the mouth of the Pit, not wanting to miss the first few moments after the food reached the bottom. Those were the most crucial, when the best could be grabbed. Nothing disturbed the mottled blue sky, however, reassuring him as he cautiously stepped into her cell. It was dimmer than his, as it was set back directly into the rock, all but one wall was made of stone. The murk didn't bother him, not after having lived in complete darkness for so much of his life.

"You don't seem like the kind of person to be so obsessed with beauty," he remarked, folding his arms. Nasrin shrugged, turning to face him.

"It's not just that he's pretty. He's got a sort of…innocence to him."

"You really care about innocence even when you're stuck down here?"

What Bane really wanted to ask, however, was what Nasrin's past was. Prostitutes weren't known for philosophizing and admiring the decency in a person's character. Generally they were scraping along, trying to get enough coins to make it through the next day. A look alone made it clear that that hadn't been her lot.

Golden teeth, well groomed hair and skin, elegant, educated words slipping into her vocabulary, even when she drawled and spoke like a common person. What customers had she served to allow such a way of living, who had taken the care to teach her what she knew?

"Yeah. You don't really have much else down here, do ya? Besides, actin' like a savage ain't gonna get you very far, no matter where it is you live. And even if the innocence goes away, the kid might still be kind. "

Nasrin's gentle expression hardened as she looked at the ground, and by the time she drew her eyes up to meet his face, her smile was cold and cynical.

"But I guess that always depends on how he's raised. I know you see the value in innocence, else he wouldn't have caught your eye. I'm just hopin' you'll have time to teach him properly in between all that stuff done for pleasure."

Bane shifted, wanting to snap back that she didn't have any right to criticize what she thought was going on, especially when she had made her living on feeding men's appetites. Who_ knew_ just how many children ran around the whore dens she had lived in.

"You make me sound so much more..."

"Depraved?"

"Carless than I really am," he finished, narrowing his eyes at her open hostility. He could tell that when he had kissed Talia, she had been upset. The hard smile she had given them over the heads of the rest of the inmates had spoken volumes, but where did she get off even caring? There was absolutely _no reason_ for her to have become involved.

"No, I think I do you justice," she said, golden teeth gleaming darkly. Nasrin pursed her lips and sucked in a breath, then forced another smile on her face. Bane shifted forwards, lessening the scant few feet between them, then said "There's no reason for you to be so disappointed that I'm not what you thought. Whatever made you think I was something good?"

"You saved him," she said shortly, straightening up right. She was still a good foot or so shorter than him.

"Why not? Maybe I just didn't want anyone else to get him."

"But you _kept him around._ Why not have your way and then kill 'im like they did with the mother?"

"Not everyone down here cares for murdering a child."

"Because you've got _such _a squeamish stomach," she sat back. She was right there in front of him, leaving barely enough room for half an arm's length between them. She was staring at him so intensely, not quite glaring, more trying to figure him out, trying to understand what made him tick. Bane, on the other hand, felt like he had figured her out completely, how she was hiding a big heart under a layer of sarcastic cynicism.

_If she doesn't get rid of that quick, it'll get her killed one day, _thought the cold, clinical part of him. The rest of him was more impressed by the fact that she was even daring to stand up to him over a matter that could have so easily been dismissed. No one else cared about how he treated Talia, or at least appeared to.

"I've seen the way you act around him, the way you're protective and comforting. That little boy _trusts_ you for some reason, and I can't stand watching—"

"Watching _what?"_

"Watching you use him!" she snapped, leaning in a little closer. Nasrin glared at him through narrowed eyes, examining every inch of his face.

"Would you be saying this to anyone else?" he asked, then felt a bit of surprise. He hadn't meant to do that, hadn't meant to let her work her way under his skin like that. The words had just come out because he was so irritated with her, and so curious. Bane may have figured her out, but what he didn't know the details, didn't know why she did what she did, or how she had become that way.

"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes still narrowed.

"You know as well as I do that Eyphah's clamoring for possession over the boy. If he got his way, if I wasn't an issue any more, would you march up to Eyphah with reprimands for the way he would treat him?"

Nasrin's jaw clenched as she paused, trying to think of a more favorable answer. They both knew that Eyphah's treatment of Talia would be infinitely worse than what Bane let everyone think he was doing now.

To her credit, Nasrin didn't look away as she answered.

"No," she gritted out, voice tight.

"Then why do it with me?" he demanded, leaning in a little closer.

"Because I don't think you're a monster like him," she said in a rush.

Bane pulled back, stunned. Her fists were clenched and every muscle in her body was taut as she stared him down, ready to take on whatever it was that he threw at her.

That was, to say the least, a first for him. Bane had been called so many things for so long, he'd begun to think that everyone thought at, at least at first. Now Nasrin, a woman he hardly even knew, was saying that she _didn't_ think he was a monster.

Nasrin shifted under his intense gaze, like she was regretting what she had said. She dropped her eyes, fists still clenched, brows still furrowed, but her voice was calmer, more tame.

"If you were...you wouldn't have bothered pullin' that little boy outta there first," she told him. At first Bane wondered how she had known that, as she had been lowered into the Pit at least a month afterwards, but then he supposed that any number of the men that had raided the cell with him could have told her at any point. The idea of being a conversation piece bothered him. If there were too many eyes and minds on them, then someone would be bound to notice the little inconsistencies and expose the ruse.

"Why does it matter?" Bane asked her, truly wanting to know. He hadn't met a person who had really _cared_ before, or at least, had never given them the time to express their thoughts. Bane couldn't figure out what it was about her that made her care about his nature, about what road he was leading himself down.

"It matters because that means people can still be _people_ down here," she said finally, staring at him with such sad eyes. When he had first met her, Bane recalled thinking they were crafty. Now he realized they were just desperate.

"And where's that leave you?"

Nasrin didn't answer for a moment, instead looking off past the bars of her cell, out over the Pit. Eventually she said "You better go. The food's about to be dropped."

Bane looked around, having completely forgotten his purpose in leaving Talia in the first place. A wash of guilt went over him at the thought of wasting time on this woman instead, which didn't even make sense. If she hadn't stopped him, he would have still had to wait down at the bottom of the Pit until the food was within reach.

He glanced back at her, unsure. What he really wanted to do was to stay there and figure her out, to learn where she found all of that courage and wit and intense moral compass. They weren't the typical traits of a person of the city above, much less a prostitute.

Nasrin had her arms folded, and her smile was now sly and suggestive. Sly, suggestive and detached from everything she had been feeling just a moment before, all of that emotion sealed away inside of her.

"If you wanna stay here instead of going to get some rations, fine by me. I certainly won't say no," she told him, making Bane pull back automatically. He searched for something to say, but she just shook her head, telling him to go on.

* * *

The next few days dragged by, great spans of nothing that made Bane want to claw his eyes out. He couldn't imagine how he had filled his days previously, what had kept him so occupied. He did everything that he had before, the chores, the lessons for Talia, the stories she begged for with her eyes, the exercise routine. Despite all of this, he was left _waiting_, though for what he didn't know.

Talia picked up on this, and seemed frustrated by the fact that she couldn't lift the impatience from his shoulders. She would stare at him, looking so serious, face pressed into a frown far too familiar for a girl her age, and then put a hand over his. Most of the time she wouldn't say anything, more willed him to get past whatever was bothering him.

"Are you worried about them coming to get us?" Talia finally whispered, breaking the silence between them. Bane looked at her, saw the dark strength that she held inside. Her eyes were on her hands, and her voice was low, measured, horribly afraid. The light was dimming, but the shadows on her face seemed to show Bane what she really looked like. He noticed the smudges of dirt, the odd scratch on her cheek and the dry lips, saw the hollow cheeks and the hair that had to be shorn off, just to buy her a little bit of safety. She had cares on her shoulders that a little girl never needed, but simply couldn't be helped.

The only thing that still looked correct for her age were her eyes. They were big and bright and still had some hope left.

"I have always been worried," he whispered back, even though there was no one around to hear them. "It was a fact I knew existed from the moment I considered saving you."

"Do you think they'll attack us?" she asked, biting her lip. She was probably thinking of the man that had been murdered outside of their cell, how he had been dragged from where he slept and horribly beaten before being cruelly killed.

"Eventually. We can't fool them forever."

"Not with Eyphah," she murmured, folding her arms against her chest. Bane pulled her to his chest, holding her tight. She instantly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck, and Bane wasn't sure who was comforting and who was being comforted.

"I won't let him hurt you, Talia," he told her. The words were low, but he could hear the steel in his own voice. "I will never let him hurt you."

"But I can't keep them from hurting you," she told him, sounding frustrated and tired. Bane clenched his teeth at the thought that she was worrying about his safety, that she was no longer naive enough to think that he was invincible, that she was so bothered by the thought that she finally said something.

"Go to sleep, Talia," he told her, "there are no worries there."

"Bane, I don't want to sleep," she told him stubbornly, determined to fret. "What if we don't make the jump? What if we can't even reach the ledge, what if we fall back down?"

Panic was creeping into her voice, making her grip tighten.

"What if we don't make it?" Talia asked finally, voice tiny and scared. She knew the answer, and he knew why she was asking. Talia was desperate for some denial of reality, for him to say that they would be able to try again, that the other prisoners wouldn't swoop down on their heads and punish them for daring an escape attempt. He wished that he was the type of person to give into denial, to give voice to those vain wishes and tell her that nothing would happen. But he couldn't. Fooling her, even for the sparest moment, even just a little bit, was unforgivable, because she stored every drop of faith in him. If he began lying to her, there would be absolutely nothing left in the world for Talia to trust. That wasn't a hardship she needed, not now, not after everything she had gone through.

"Then we don't survive."

Talia's fingers clenched into his shirt, and he knees dug into his stomach as she tensed in fear at the thought, utterly so plainly by Bane. Perhaps it was the simple quality of the truth that made it so terrible. If they slipped, even the slightest bit, they would fall and there would be nothing to cushion the landing.

Silence stretched on between them, long enough to dip the entire Pit into darkness, enough to make the sounds of the other prisoners die down and the heat begin to abate. Bane sat there, not moving, thinking through every detail of the plan. He had done this a thousand times before, working out every single detail again and again and again, just in case something unexpected popped up.

"Bane?" Talia whispered, voice utterly unexpected in the dark.

"Yes, little one?"

"What's it like up there?" she asked. It was a question she had asked before, which was strange in and of itself. Talia never repeated her questions. They may link together and fall into similar themes, but Bane never had to say the same thing twice.

"I mean, what are the people like? The-the cities, are they pretty, are there diseases that everyone's afraid of, and what kind of foods are there?"

As she spoke, Talia's questions took on a new meaning. It was just her voracious appetite for knowledge that fueled her questions, but a desperate need to know what her potential home would be like. Talia didn't care about the far off wonders Bane had seen, she was interested in the working details of the place just above her head.

When Bane answered, telling her about how everyone was different and that anyone could be good or bad, and that she had to watch carefully to decide what each person was, and that the cities varied almost as much as the people did, she relaxed in his arms. When he wound down his explanation, Talia asked another set, surprising him as he had thought she was asleep.

Bane didn't know how long this kept up, him giving her new, suddenly important details until he ran out of things to say, and then her jumping in with ever more questions. He talked for most of the night, watching the tiny fires and lamps flicker across the prison, fading a little as the weak moonlight spread over more and more of the cavern, then strengthening as the light slipped away. Finally, when he finished speaking and she didn't jump in with another question, Bane gently shifted her to look at her face.

The little girl was sound asleep, having used his shoulder and neck for who knew how long. Bane couldn't help but smile as he lifted her onto the cot, settling down around her. He knew that his voice would be weak the next morning, it was already hoarse as it was, but he didn't care. As long as he had helped to soothe her fears, just a little bit. For that knowledge, Bane would trade just about anything in the world.

_**AN This chapter was a little weird to write, because I keep thinking about how we're nearing the end, and that makes me so, so ridiculously sad. I keep thinking that there are these bunches of things I feel like I need to say, but at the same time, there's not all that much.**_

_**I was also a little hesitant to make the section with Nasrin so big, because I don't want to push her too hard for a number of reasons, most of which relate to her relationship with Bane. It's this strange, flirty (at least on her part), push and pull sort of thing they have going, and it could very easily fall down the wrong road.**_

_**AUGH GUYS I'M NOT READY FOR THE END.**_


	13. back and forth

**_AN It feels like I haven't updated this story in forever, but it's really only been...three weeks. Awesome OTL I promise to update super quickish after this! But still, it's here and that's what's important. A bit shorter than you guys are used to, but then, I've been spoiling you with extra long chapters. _**

**_And, ugh, I hate that I'm saying this now, when we're nearing the end, but I feel like I have to say it: Clearly the version of the Pit that I have in my head isn't the same as the one in the movie. My version has been gouged directly out of the rock around it (which is red), and not made out of brick. The cells climb the walls along the path that spirals up to a certain point, and there is a wing placed in and under the earth in a cave-esque fashion, where the doctor and Anina live. There's tons of dust and boulders laying around, and the bottom of the pit is essentially flat, with elevated walk/stairways here and there. Just to clear up a few sensory details that might have had you guys wondering._**

For the last few days, an excited buzz had filled Talia, right to the very tips of her toes. The thought that she and Bane would finally be escaping the Pit kept zipping through her mind, becoming more real and tangible with each pass.

Neither of them were quite sure when they would leave, only that it would be soon and that they could never turn back once they took the first steps of the journey. Day after day passed as subtle preparations were made, gathering more and more supplies, Bane teaching Talia about the world above. Before he had told her stories of all sorts of things, unfocused in their wonder. Now he detailed the city above them, what animals were running around above their heads and where water could be found. And, at her request, everything Bane knew about the League of Shadows.

He hadn't wanted to, at first. The way he looked at her after she asked, eyes narrow, mouth about ready to say something, that told her more than enough. Bane thought it was foolish to cling to the idea of her father, just like he thought climbing the Pit without any conviction was foolish, but it wasn't a halfhearted dream for Talia. She couldn't but help nurture the idea that if she managed to get out and ask for him, try to find him, he would welcome her with open arms. And if he truly was as important as Bane said, then he would be able to take care of both of them without any trouble.

Bane didn't understand this, and it killed her inside. He was resolutely determined to think that nothing would come of it, but she had to hope, she had to try. Talia just had to.

In their preparations for leaving, Bane allowed Talia to say goodbye to Anina. The old woman greeted the little girl in her typical grumpy manner, but Talia knew she was pleased to see her.

"What's this? I thought you'd forgotten about me. It's been days!"

Talia giggled and wrapped her arms around the woman's neck, gushing about all of the things she had seen since meeting Anina last. Then the old woman made Talia go back through nearly everything she had been taught, demanding that Talia get it right. At some point Bane moved away, probably headed off to see the doctor for any extra medical supplies possible. When she noticed that he had left, Talia's voice trailed off. She swallowed, telling herself that she was being silly, that there was no reason for her throat to become tight like this.

"What, what is it, girl? What's wrong?" Anina demanded, voice gruff. Talia shook her head, frowning.

"It's nothing, I just...Bane."

"What about 'im? He's not done anything wrong, has he?"

"No, but I...it's not safe out there, is it?" she asked, looking into Anina's cloudy eyes. She paused, then said "Yes, it's incredibly dangerous out there. We're lucky no one's tried bothering us, yet."

"But what about Bane? He said—he said that Eyphah was unhappy with him, and Eyphah hurts people that make him mad! I don't want him to get hurt because of—because of what he did for me," she said in a rush, tears starting to prick her eyes by the end. Anina watched her a moment, mouth pressed into a hard line. Finally the old woman leaned over and grabbed Talia into a fierce hug. Talia hiccupped into her shoulder, hands clenched into her shawl.

"You hush now," Anina told Talia, "You just hush up right now. Remember what I said about Bane the last time you started to fret?"

Talia nodded, swallowing back the remnants of her tears.

"Yeah? What were they?"

"That he—that he could tear down the sky i-if he wanted to," she said haltingly, making Anina nod.

"That's exactly right. And if _anyone_ tries to hurt him, or keep him from coming back to you, he will rip that sky down and drop it onto their heads, crush 'em flat. Hear me? He won't leave you alone."

Talia managed a laugh at the thought, but again she felt that there was a catch, that there was some exception to the rule. She closed her eyes, wishing the idea would go away.

"Anina," she whispered after a moment, "Bane and I are going to leave."

"Leave where?" the woman asked, though dropping her voice as if she already knew.

"The Pit. We're going to try and climb out, and we're gonna go find somewhere else to live." It was wonderful to be able to tell Anina her secret, to finally share the wonderful news with someone else. Anina was frozen for a moment, making Talia think that she hadn't heard her, and then the woman breathed "So _that's_ what he's up to, sneaky devil."

Anina suddenly pulled Talia away from her body, gripping the girl by her shoulders and peering intently into her face. The abrupt movement and intensity of the stare made Talia think that she was about to be reprimanded at first, like she had made a mistake in telling her.

"Don't tell anyone else," Anina hissed, voice ragged from urgency and fear. "Don't breathe a _word_ of it to anyone else, do you hear me?!"

"Y-yes, I hear you," Talia stammered, unsure what to think now.

"Because if those—those _monsters_ catch a _murmur_ of what the two of you are planning to do, they will kill you without a thought."

"But why?" Talia asked, suddenly afraid. She knew that she couldn't tell anyone, but for fear of them _killing_ her and Bane? That certainly hadn't been a factor before.

"Because they are selfish, broken creatures. With Eyphah hissing in their ear, they will do anything without hesitation. And Eyphah hates having things stolen out from under him."

Talia didn't know what the last bit meant, and she was certain she didn't want to. She simply nodded, mouth shut tight.

"I won't tell anyone, I just wanted you to know so you wouldn't be sad when we're gone."

"Yes," Anina sighed, letting go of Talia's shoulders, "Well, it's a good warning, because I'll be a little worse off no matter how this thing ends."

Talia bit her lip, not having realized that she would miss Anina. Of course they could never try to take her with them, it would be foolhardy to even consider it, but still, Talia didn't want to leave her. In the short time that she had known Anina, she had grown to care for her. Despite her grumpy disposition, Anina always did her best to help both Talia and Bane.

A few minutes later Bane arrived, and Talia waved goodbye to Anina, hurrying to his side. The old woman nodded, and raised her hand in a rare farewell. Talia gave Anina one final smile, then turned back to face the rest of the hallway.

"Where'd you go?" Talia asked Bane, and he glanced down at her.

"I was speaking to the doctor." She nodded, remembering the bargain that he had arranged with the man, medicines in exchange for protection. It hardly surprised her that Bane would make sure that the doctor knew the deal could no longer stand. He wasn't the type to leave loose ends, of any sort.

"Do you like him?"

Bane laughed at her question, then shrugged.

"It's not so much a matter of my _liking_ him, as being able to tolerate him while we do business."

Talia made a face up at him, sensing that his feelings towards the doctor were less than agreeable.

"I like him," she announced, still watching him. "He looked after me and my mother. He can't be all bad." He was silent after her comment, as if thinking things through.

"That is entirely true. He most certainly isn't a bad man, merely stupid enough to become dependent on a drug that will eventually kill him. But being a good person doesn't mean he is above criticism and contempt."

Talia frowned at him for a moment, not understanding everything he had said, but getting the gist of it. She sighed and looked back at her feet, wondering for the dozenth time how exactly Bane's brain worked. Everything held risks and pleasures and dangers and irritations, nothing was entirely one thing, nothing completely good or distasteful. There was always something to counteract the main impression, if only just a bit. Bane saw more factors that Talia could ever imagine, and sometimes she was convinced that it was all of those variables fluttering around in his head that kept him awake every night, and not simple vigilance. She also wondered how he kept from going crazy in _seeing_ so much.

"Hey there, tiger. Same to you, little cub."

Talia looked up at the voice, a thrill of surprise going through her stomach as she saw Nasrin, just a few feet away. It seemed like the woman had appeared out of the air, stepping from nothing. Bane shifted beside Talia, stiffening ever so slightly as he continued walking. She glanced at him, wondering what it was about Nasrin that wound him so tight ever time they saw her.

She looked back at Nasrin, then offered the tiniest of smiles in way of hello. Nasrin tipped her head back in that silent laugh of hers, showing her golden teeth. Talia watched them with interest, never having seen anything like it before Nasrin.

"Well, I've made progress," she said. "Now, if only I could get the same outta him," she told Talia, tipping her head towards Bane.

Bane suddenly stopped, causing Talia to walk a few steps ahead of him before noticing.

"What do you want?" he asked, voice clipped.

"To say hello. Ain't that the civil thing?"

"Because civility is such a priority here," he scoffed, and Talia edged closer, peering at the woman from behind Bane's leg.

"It should be. Don't cha think, kid?"

Talia mumbled something under her breath, not meeting Nasrin's eyes. The woman tipped her head in closer, not understanding.

"What's that?"

"I don't know what that means," she repeated, facing Bane's pant leg. Nasrin grinned, and said "Means people should be a bit kinder, a bit better. Something we could all do with more of."

As she watched the woman speak, Talia decided that she liked her, with her teasing manner and comments on people's personalities and nature. It was something Bane did, though when he did it, he was never so light. But just because Talia liked her, it didn't mean that she could trust Nasrin, evident by the fact that Bane was always so incredibly cautious around her.

"Ya know, I wouldn't a thought you'd be out here," Nasrin said after a moment, now looking at Bane. "With everyone so excited, I woulda thought you'd stay out of the line of fire."

"We had business to attend to. That's the sole reason we're out."

Nasrin gave him a look, eyes narrowed with her head tipped back in a smile that said she didn't quite believe him. If anything, her expression was mocking, asking if he was that afraid. Talia lightly bit her cheek and held onto Bane's pant leg, a support in this uncertain situation.

"Alright, well, I've got my own business to attend to," Nasrin said, smile dissolving into something a little bit kinder. "I suppose I'll see you here an' there. Bye, tiger cub," she said, waving a little at Talia. Talia waggled her fingers for the briefest moment back at Nasrin, earning another strange, mixed look. It was gone in a beat, and Nasrin nodded and walked past them.

Bane began walking as well, eyes set before them. Only Talia glanced back at the woman as she walked deeper into the maze of cells.

* * *

Talia nibbled on a seed cake, watching Bane take a sip from the water skin. Everything seemed relatively peaceful in the Pit, the sound of the cicadas echoing from the surface and the occasional shriek of a hawk sounding. She enjoyed this calm, but at the same time she felt a bit betrayed by the fact that it would soon enough end, probably with violence.

The sound of a pair of feet walking up the path caught Talia's attention, making her look over at the cell door. Bane had heard it before her, sitting completely still and waiting, waiting, waiting. People normally did not come up here, largely due to the fact that there was no need. On this particular branch of cells, Bane and Talia lived the highest up. Beyond them the path eventually petered out, serving only as a cruel lookout point in the Pit. High enough to tempt people of trying to escape, but placed on the opposite side of the handholds and against a particularly smooth, unforgiving section of wall.

So why was someone coming up here now?

The pair of them sat frozen for a moment, and each heartbeat sounded like thunder in Talia's ears. Just before the person came into sight, Talia held her breath, to keep from gasping when she finally did seem them. A very, very large part of her begged it to not be Eyphah.

Nasrin stepped into view, her rhythmic saunter mesmerizing even now.

She stopped in front of their door, clearly wanting to say something, but surprisingly, she kept her mouth shut. Usually Nasrin took advantage of any opportunity to make the first move. Now, however, it seemed that she was passing that right over to Bane. Talia glanced at him, anxiety settling in her stomach at the silence that stretched between the three of them. His eyes were on Nasrin, not giving anything away, not an expression, not a word, not an inch.

Finally Nasrin forced a smile, something that was unusual for her. Talia had seen her give a lot of smiles before, and though she could tell that Nasrin was not necessarily happy or amused when she gave them, they never seemed contrived or unnatural. Now, though, Talia could just see every muscle and in Nasrin's body straining, held far too tight for her to be comfortable. There was something off, something was terribly wrong.

"So, I have something I wanna talk to you about, tiger," she said after another a beat, and Bane tipped his head back, eyes narrowed. He stood up, put the food bags away, taking his time in answering. Talia wished she could ask him to stop and just respond, because this waiting was killing her. Bane finally turned to look at her, brushing off his hands.

"And what is that?" he asked, voice filled with disinterest.

"The kid." Nasrin didn't look at Talia when she spoke, but it felt like Talia had just been shoved up in front of a crowd and everyone was staring at her.

"What about him? Has Eyphah coerced you into asking for him?"

Nasrin gave a laugh, but it was clear she wasn't amused. Talia shifted, wanting to press herself into Bane's legs, to hide from whatever it was Nasrin was waiting to reveal, but she forced herself to be still, to sit through it. She couldn't run to Bane for everything.

"And would you care if he had? You'd still say no either way."

Bane tipped his head and raised an eyebrow ever so slightly as if saying '_Well, you've got __**that**__ right...'_ Nasrin gave a chuckle, more an empty exhale than anything. Then she took a breath and straightened, becoming the confident woman who could really care less. But around her eyes, in her hands, at the edges of her smile, Talia could see the apprehension, the anxiety that was pooling up inside all of them.

"But no, it's not about that. It's more...about the fact that he's really a girl."

**_AN SCREAMS._**


	14. time to run away

_**AN AUGH OH MY GOSH I'M SLOW AND BROKE MY PROMISE BUT THIS CHAPTER WAS SO LONG AND PAINFUL AND UGH ENJOY IT.  
**_

_**This chapter was rushed out (I wrote it in a rough total of three and a half hours, more or less straight), and I only did a basic edit of it, so forgive me if I have any silly mistakes in it. I just wanted to get it out as soon as possible, because I kind of left you guys on a mega cliff hanger, and I don't want to torture you any more.  
**_

_**There's just a lot of action in this chapter, and it was so stressful for me to write, because I was just so incredibly wrapped up in the moment that I could see absolutely everything rolling out in front of me, and I knew just what everyone was feeling and thinking and ugh it was a lot. I hope that contributed to the quality of the chapter :)**_

_****__**Also a shout out to the fab theleague-ofshadows for being awesome and supporting me through this! The conversations I held with her and the ideas she sparked were marvelous, and helped the story be what it is today. Hang in there, kid, and don't let life get you down!**_

Bane didn't even take the moment to breathe, he simply snapped his arms out and grabbed the front of Nasrin's shirt. She let out a gasp as she slammed against the bars, and he felt Talia jump beside him, just as shocked by the sudden movement.

Nasrin stared at him through the bars, head lifted up to allow room for her chin now that her face was so close. There wasn't a shred of fear in those dark eyes. Now that she had said it, now that she had laid everything she had in front of them, there wasn't much to be afraid of. She knew that Bane would do whatever he wanted now, whether that was snap her neck or throw her off the side of the path, and she could do nothing about it.

"I thought so," she said softly, words meant only for him. There was the slightest trace of a quiver in her voice, though, belying the confidence in her eyes.

Perhaps not so brave, after all.

"How did you know," he gritted out, voice nearly as low as his. Their faces were close, terribly close, and he could feel Talia edging ever so slowly closer. "How did you know about her?"

"I guessed," Nasrin breathed, and Bane adjusted his grip so that he was holding onto her neck and not her shirt. Nasrin was now balancing on the tips of her toes, trying to keep any extra pressure off of her neck. "I didn't have the vaguest idea until, until yesterday. Everyone's noticed how you've been hoardin' the kid, keeping him—her—to yourself," she continued, voice sounding a little more strained now, like she was reconsidering her choice, "An' then those visits you paid to that old bat leaving her alone, there was no need. Unless she could teach...something you couldn't, and then just some of the expressions...didn't look like a boy. So I guessed."

Bane narrowed his eyes, thinking, thinking.

If Nasrin knew, Eyphah almost surely knew. But there was no way he would leave them alone if he did, there was no way he wouldn't assemble a mob to go and rip them apart, literally, in Bane's case. He may have been crafty, but Eyphah wouldn't have had the restraint to lay a game of cat and mouse, not when he discovered that Bane had been keeping such a secret from him.

What did Nasrin have to gain from telling Bane she knew, anyways? Blackmail was out of the question, as there was hardly anything he could do for her, and Bane could just as easily kill her, as he was very near doing now.

At the thought, his hands tightened ever so slightly, but it was enough to make her panic.

"Please," she rasped, hands clutching as his, attempting to find purchase, as if that would help her any, "please, Bane, don't–don't kill me."

"_Why?_" he asked, voice low and feral, and Nasrin didn't have an answer for a moment, the woman who had a retort for practically everything, who knew the best move and who had been blessed enough to have golden teeth. For a moment, she was simply scared, faced with an opponent she could never hope to beat or trick.

But maybe she could manage to convince.

"Because I want...want to help."

Bane glared at her for a moment, then loosened his grip a little.

"How?"

"Eyphah's getting close, he's not going to take much longer to figure it out," she began, voice soft and quick like she knew she had to get the many words out as possible. "I heard them, they're throwing around ideas and he's going to figure it out in a day, maybe two. I just wanted..."

"Wanted _what_?" he snarled, needing to get down the matter at hand, in its most basic form. He didn't have the time or patience to deal with a terrified, desperate woman.

"_I wanted to warn you._ I know...I know you care about the little girl, no matter what you say, and if you got a plan, you need to use it, fast."

She was right, and Bane absolutely hated it. There was no more time for dancing around the truth, trying to hide behind bold moves and hidden facts. Bane had the benefits of a powerful body and mind, but Eyphah had an entire mob of savage, angry men. It didn't matter how gifted Bane was, because there came a point when there were just too many bodies, too many fists to keep from hitting him.

Bane stared at her for a moment, forcing his breathing to stay calm, to not just kill her and have done with it. Nasrin seemed to want the best for Talia, whatever good that might do. She might have gathered a bit more information while cozying up to the men in the Pit.

He let her go, and Nasrin sank back to standing flat footed, staggering back a step as she tried to get a proper breath.

"I-I-thank you," she rasped, but Bane merely asked in response "What good will this do you?"

Nasrin just looked at him, shaking her head slightly and shrugging.

"It's like I said, tiger, people can still be people down here. I wouldn't a let a kid or anyone helping them get killed over nothing before, and I'm not gonna do it now. In fact, that's what got me stuck down here," she said, smiling her golden smile. She rubbed her throat, probably thinking that was exactly what almost got her killed.

"And what good will this do me?" he asked, still thinking. When was the best time for Bane and Talia to attempt climbing? Not today, but maybe while it was dark. Bane could use the rope to climb up to the ledge, but would there be enough light for him to accurately see the next ledge he would have to jump to? Would it matter, even if he did, as he had Talia to worry about? The chances of one of them making the jump were slim enough as it was, but two...it seemed like tempting fate to try such a feat.

"I can help you, throw them off of you scent just a little bit. If you need any extra time, I can try to help get that. They're not going to expect some dumb whore to be working with you," she said, offering a smile. Bane pursed his lips, acknowledging some of the truth to her words.

"You're not dumb," he said, "and Eyphah knows it. He's one of the few who would realize just how hard you work to say the right thing at the right time to the right person. He's going to sense alternate motives no matter what you say."

"Well, it's worth a shot," she said, and Bane felt the surreal quality of what they were doing in full force. Here he was, trying to plan an escape with a woman he barely knew, and trusted even less, an escape that their lives depended on, no less. But did he have any other choice?

Bane glanced down at Talia, who had so silently been listening to every word they had said. She might not have understood every little detail, but the truth was obvious on her face. She knew they had to leave, and fast.

"Bane?" she asked, sounding so defeated, so scared, and Bane knew his own answer.

Of course there was no other choice. If he killed Nasrin now, it was one less threat, but also one less ally. Plus she was one of very few people he was willing to trust even remotely in this hell hole.

"Alright," he said, looking back at Nasrin, "alright. You can help us."

She nodded, not asking him for the details, or for their next move. When Nasrin next spoke, she was facing Talia.

"So, tiger cub, what's your name?"

* * *

There was an absolute feeling of dread in Bane's stomach that night. Neither he nor Talia spoke if at all possible, quietly brooding on what was going to happen next.

They had to wait until the next day to escape, that was final. Just a few short hours and one horrible night, and they would be able to try climbing to the surface. But until then, they would have to fester in their own anxieties.

What if Nasrin had been lying, and had run down immediately to Eyphah? What if Eyphah knew more than either of them were giving him credit for, and he was just waiting for them to fall asleep to attack? In their cell, Bane and Talia were prime targets. Their door protected them from most attacks, but it also held them hostage. And a frenzied enough crowd could take the bars down.

They sat curled up on the bed, drifting in and out of sleep. Bane was far too paranoid to properly settle down, even though he knew that he really couldn't do anything as it was, and Talia was too sensitive to how he was feeling to relax. She sat curled up against his chest, absorbing his warmth and even a bit of his fear, because really, it didn't matter how things went tomorrow, whether they managed to start climbing without any problems or if Eyphah was on them from the first. Bane had to get them, had to get her out, at all costs.

Finally, the sun came up. The delicate sounds of animals up above their heads echoed down gently, the first few cicadas awakening, the occasional cry of a bird.

"Bane?" Talia asked, making him look down at her, "Is this it?"

He considered her words, then nodded even though she wasn't looking at him.

"Yes, Talia. This is it. Today's the day."

Bane wasn't a man that scared easily, but this was absolutely terrifying. Or rather, what he was going to have to face next wasn't terrifying, more the idea that he would fail, because there was nothing left for him if he did.

The two of them got ready quickly, eating some of their ration and both of them taking a drink from the water skin. They would have to be careful if (_when,_ he corrected. Negative thinking wasn't going to help, not now) they got out, as they would have to find all food for themselves. At least while they were in the Pit, they could count on rations, no matter how sporadic.

"Do we go now?" Talia asked, eyes wide and worried. Bane glanced down, noting the large crowd that had already amassed below them on the Pit floor. He thought fast, settling on a plan.

"No, we can't as long as they are there. We need to coerce someone into creating a distraction. The old woman, maybe."

"Will she get hurt?" Bane glanced at her, noting that it was a dull resignation that colored Talia's features at the thought, not proper worry or distaste.

"It's a possibility."

"Are we going to bring out packs?" she asked as he got up to open the cell door. Bane shook his head, pulling out the key.

"No. It would cause suspicion. We'll simply have to double back."

The two of them walked down to the bottom, more aware of any danger than they had ever been before. What Bane really wanted to do was scoop Talia up and _run_, but he forced himself to walk, to look uninterestedly above the heads of everyone that passed. While they were walking, he noticed that Eyphah was nowhere to be seen amongst his usual followers. He told himself that that meant nothing, the man could be anywhere, but still, it sent a thrill of worry through his stomach.

They had just crossed the bottom of the Pit and were about to enter Anina's cluster of cell blocks, when a shout rang out several levels above their heads. Both Bane and Talia looked around, instantly picking up on the agitation that was spreading through the prisoners. Some of them began chattering, while others started to run towards the sound.

Instincts screaming at him, Bane pulled Talia back, pressing them both into the shadows. He picked her up, and she clutched onto his shirt desperately, looking tired and scared. No more of that, he thought to himself, he couldn't let her be scared any more.

People passed them, running now, and it was a few long beats before Bane set Talia back on the ground, and started walking back to the cell block. Whatever it was that had upset everyone, Bane was certain he didn't want to find out.

"_Bane!_" a voice hissed, raspy and on edge. He whirled, grabbing Talia's shoulder and scooting her behind him as he assessed the person speaking.

It was Anina, looking frantic. Strands of hair stuck out from her head, only adding to the panic in her face. Seeing her so far away from her cell could only mean one thing, which was immediately reaffirmed by her words.

"Bane, Bane, I'm sorry, I don't know how-"

"What happened," he asked, voice shockingly calm. She shook her head, helpless.

"He knows," she said simply. "Eyphah, he heard me, heard me talkin' to that fool doctor. I'm sorry, I didn't know he was there until it was too late, but he's on a man hunt now. He's gonna turn the entire Pit against you, if possible, just to get that young thing there." She nodded at Talia, who flinched at the thought.

"You're sure," he asked, assessing the damage, trying to picture the next action now.

"Yes, yes, curse it all, yes. I said it plain as day, I muddled it all up. I'm sorry, but you need to get outta here, now."

Bane nodded, grabbing Talia into his arms and starting to move back towards the clearing.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know, but I'd say he's a few levels up. You can get up there now, you can probably reach the ledge without them reaching the bottom. You can get out!" He shook his head at her words, knowing that they wouldn't make it far without at least a little food and water. Even though the city just outside had plenty to steal and scrounge, it was always wise to have something fit for trade.

Anina growled out several curses as she grabbed at her hair, like she had expected this, but had prayed for it to not come true.

"Why, oh _why_ can't you just leave now, stupid man?!"

"We have packs up in our cell. We'll need to get them if we're to make it very far."

"But your cell is at the very top! It's insane to go up there! Just save the girl while you can, don't make everything go to waste."

"Trust me, I'll get her out," Bane said, walking past Anina. He set a hand briefly on her shoulder, and she grunted "Just make sure you do."

* * *

Talia clung onto Bane's neck for dear life as he hurried across the Pit floor, slinking up the path and hiding whenever someone appeared ahead of them. There were a few close brushes, but he managed to keep them safe.

She glanced up at their mocking little sky, and wondered if it realized just how much pain it was putting them through.

Bane was silent for the entirety of the trip, brooding and serious. She had thought that he had been quiet that morning when they had been getting ready, but now he was an absolute fortress, letting nothing go, and letting nothing in. Whatever he was thinking and feeling was a complete mystery to her, and it made Talia worry. She didn't like being closed off from Bane, in any sense.

Just as they were approaching the halfway mark between their cell and the bottom, a voice again hissed out at them. Bane froze, and Talia turned her head to see Nasrin, hanging out of her cell door.

"_Bane,_" she hissed again, waving closer. She looked almost as frantic as Anina had, but she was hiding it all under a thin guise of self control. "Bane, I don't know how it happened, but Eyphah knows. I didn't tell him-"

"I know," he said shortly. "He overheard Anina."

"You need to get out, now!" she said, glancing around. "This place is crawlin' with people who want your head for hiding the truth. I dunno why, but Eyphah takes this personally."

"We need our packs from the cell," he explained, and Nasrin stared at him as though she couldn't understand the importance of such trivial items. She glanced at Talia, as if that would help, then shook her head.

"You will be killed if you even try," she said simply. "They will mob you, stab or beat you to death, and then they will take that little girl and possibly rape her until she _dies._ You understand that, yeah?"

"I get it," he said shortly, and his grip on Talia tightened, which she hadn't before thought possible. "But we're not going to survive out there if we don't get them."

Nasrin let out a groan of frustration, thinking fast.

"Okay, okay, okay," she said, holding her hands out in front of her as if to hold him back, "fine, I'll get them. Hide in my cell, they won't think to look for you there, not at first at least, and then I'll go get them. Then I'll...I'll try to buy you some time. Just _don't_ go up there."

Bane stared at her for what felt like an eternity to Talia, one where all of their hearts slowed as people lived and died and felt such pain and sadness she never wanted to know, but then everything snapped back to normal as he nodded, finally allowing this woman more of his trust.

"Fine. Go get them. They're under the bed," he told her as Nasrin herded them into her cell, and she nodded, biting her lip.

"Alright. Just stay here, and don't attract any attention," she said, flashing a strained smile. Talia wondered if she would ever see that smile after today. Probably not, she realized, and the idea made her incredibly sad.

Nasrin backed out of the cell, closing the door tightly behind her. She watched for a moment, just long enough for Bane to say "Remember where you're left when people are still people."

She gave another smile, saying "Sure thing, tiger," and then disappearing from view. Bane carried Talia over to the darkest corner of the room, tucked away behind Nasrin's cot. She took a few shaky breaths, straining to see his face.

"Do you think she'll trick us? Will she tell Eyphah?"

Bane considered Talia for a moment, then shook his head.

"No little one. She won't tell. She doesn't have an empty enough heart for that."

"What does that mean?" she whispered, suddenly wanting to know more about this strange, strange woman.

"It means she's one of very few good people. That will probably get her killed."

Talia nodded, pressing her head back into his chest. A knot had formed in her stomach, and Talia felt that she would be absolutely sick if they didn't get out of there, and soon. Being huddled away in Nasrin's cell, in a little cage was a nightmare. At least when they were in the open, they had some idea of what was going on elsewhere.

"What's outside?" she asked, for the dozenth time, just because she needed a recall of normalcy, needed something to remind her of things being okay and making it out alright.

"A large, large city, with a giant wall surrounding it," Bane murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "And inside that city are far more people than you could ever imagine. Some of them are good, and some of them are terribly evil. And the only way you'll be able to tell what they are is by watching them very, very hard, and making your best guess. There will be plenty of children there, and they will have been taught how to steal and lie and run, just to survive. If all else fails, find them."

That quiet whisper froze Talia, because it hinted that Bane thought something might happen to him, that she might have to go on without him.

A tear tracked down her cheek at the thought, and she pressed her face into his shirt, determined not to listen to such terrifying thoughts.

Bane gave a continual stream of instructions to Talia, which she desperately tried to remember. Outside of the cell, shouts would occasionally break out, snarls and screams. It seemed that the rampant prisoners weren't interested in simply finding and attacking Bane and Talia.

Finally, when Talia thought there couldn't be a single thing left for him to say, Bane whispered "And, if nothing else...try to find your father."

"What?"

"Try to find your father, Ra's Al Ghul. He might be able to help you. If he's still alive and working with the League of Shadows, he will be able to help you."

"But what about you?" she asked, because it had to be said, it had to or she'd burst.

"I'll help you as best I can, little one. But don't worry about me. I don't have everything ahead of me like you do."

Talia was going to answer, but there was a quiet rattle at the door. Talia bit down on a gasp and whipped her head around, relaxing a little when she saw Nasrin clutching two packs. She hurried inside, slamming the door behind them.

"They're on rampage out there," she gasped, handing the packs over to Talia and Bane. Her hands were shaking.

"What's Eyphah doing?"

"I dunno, I haven't really seen him, but whatever it is, it's workin'. They're attacking anyone they can get their hands on. I'm lucky I got by."

Bane nodded, hands working at the packs. He undid one of them, taking handfuls of food and placing them in her pockets. Talia bit her lip, thinking that there it was again, him hinting at giving up, at never making it out. But then she corrected herself, remembering what he had told Anina.

He was just taking measures to make sure she survived, if nothing else worked, no matter how painful that possibility was.

"Alright, hold on," Nasrin said, glancing back out the cell, "I'll go distract Eyphah and you can go down."

Bane caught her wrist like he had done once before, but this time, it wasn't a threat, wasn't the possibility of him breaking her arm, but still to catch her attention.

"Thank you," he said, catching her off guard. Nasrin broke into an unsure smile, shrugging.

"Yeah, no problem. Just stay on your toes. Good luck, Talia," she said, turning to her and nodding. "Stay safe."

Talia broke into an equally uncertain smile in way of goodbye, watching the woman disappear yet again.

Bane picked Talia up, and carefully walked to the front of the cell. He waited a moment, then stole out of it, moving fast. It took a few moments, silent, eerie things in which Talia wondered if maybe they would get away clean, if no one would get hurt and by the time the rest of the prisoners caught up to them, it would be too late, they would already have begun to climb, but then enrage screams broke out above. Then Talia was suspended in a horrible moment of noise and motion.

Bane broke into a run as people noticed him, darting past anyone that tried to catch them. A couple of people reached their arms out, trying to grab hold of the two of them, but Bane pushed them aside, and even one tumbled over the side. His screams of pain had no definition to Talia, just one more voice in a cacophony of anger and frenetic energy.

But they had reached the pathway up to the wall, and Bane was taking it in quick, rough steps. They jolted Talia, but she just clung on, suddenly afraid of being shaken loose. He let her down, practically dropping her, and Talia faced the wall. From here, standing at its feet, it felt like a giant, ready to buck her off if she attempted climbing more than a couple of feet.

Trepidation froze her, making it hard to think and breath and move. Talia forced her feet forward, slowly, unsure if she really wanted this, really wanted to risk her life, but Bane's hands were urging her forward, to start climbing. A scream was building up in her, demanding that she stop, that everyone just stop so she could have a few seconds to absorb this, to understand just what was going on, what she was committing to.

But she couldn't, she didn't have the time and she couldn't wish for it to be so.

"Go on, Talia! Climb!" he practically shouted, and there was a vague moment where she thought he shouldn't have said her name, else everyone would figure it out. Then she remembered that it didn't matter now.

Talia walked towards the wall, not even caring that there wasn't time to bother with the rope, and Bane hoisted her up, a wonderful, comforting support that was gone all too soon.

"Climb up, little one. I'm right behind you," he said, voice softer now, and she wasn't sure how she managed to hear him over the monstrous noise behind them. "Get out of reach!"

Talia began climbing, climbing, each step and grip a promise. One more, one more, another leg up was another chance at being safe, at living some free life under the clouds with everyone else. With Bane.

Talia finally reached one of the ledges, and glanced down. While she had been climbing, the blood roaring in her ears and the sounds of her own breathing had muted everything else, but now the sound hit her with enough force to make her stagger back. She gazed down, expecting to see Bane just inches away, telling her to pull herself higher so he could stand on the ledge, too, but instead she saw nothing. Her stomach felt like it had been ripped out through her mouth, and a soft, strangled gasp broke through her throat.

* * *

Even as he'd said it, Bane knew that he probably would never be able to climb out behind her. The prisoners were far too close, and if he started climbing, they would simply climb up after him. They were deranged with anger now, ready to claw him down the moment he came in reach.

He had to stay down there and buy her time.

Bane turned away from the wall, pushing away the first man that gained the level. He tipped over the side, face contorted under his blue head scarf, but Bane had already moved on, flipping the next man, slamming a kick into the next, pushing him back down onto the others. He turned to the wall again, hoping to be able to scramble up before they reached him, but a cold, soulless laugh hit his ears.

"Bane!" Eyphah snarled, utter madness in his clashing eyes, and again Bane set his back to the wall, facing him. "Well, what a lie we've been caught in! How long did you think it would last?"

"Long enough," he spat, and Eyphah shrugged.

"That's too bad. See, now you're caught in this awful mess."

A man rushed back Eyphah, charging Bane with a knife. He deflected the blow, slamming him head first into the wall. The man did not get up.

"Because now we _will_ kill you, and you can't hope to defeat us. And for every step that little girl takes, it's another step she'll have to fall when she misses the top ledge."

A pair of men this time attacking him from different sides. One of them managed to hit him in the stomach, but Bane knocked them both over the side into the crowd below.

"I don't think you'll live to see her prove you wrong," Bane snarled, and Eyphah shrugged.

"We'll see," was all he said, before he shifted aside and a flood of men came at Bane. It was hopeless to try to defeat them all, Bane had known that the moment he had decided to save Talia, but he wasn't there to defeat them all. He was just buying her time, buying her safety, buying her survival. Because she would make that jump, and she would climb out and reach the city and maybe even find her father. She was a fighter, with an assassin's savagery and a princess's wisdom in her veins.

Just as they managed to surround him, Bane turned to Eyphah. The man was wielding a rock, just about the simplest and deadliest weapon in the Pit. If Bane came too close, the man could break everything in his body.

With a ferocious lunge, Bane grabbed Eyphah, breaking the arm not holding the rock. The man screeched, slamming the rock down on Bane shoulder. He gasped in pain, but managed to shove him back. Eyphah staggered, attempting to regain his balance with his broken arm, but flinched when the pain stabbed at him again.

There was only the look of absolute shock and pain on the man's face as he teetered backwards, vanishing over the edge.

Hands grabbed Bane, surrounding him, pushing him down. The pain in his shoulder was absolute fire, which was only fanned every time someone grabbed him there. The only thing he could see was that terrible, cruel sky, and Talia, staring down at him.

* * *

Talia felt all of the words she wanted to scream get caught in her throat as she watched him fight for them, fight for her, because there was no real way he could get out of that mess. She watched Eyphah fall off the edge to his death, watched as hands ferociously grabbed Bane and yanked him down.

They grabbed off his head scarf, probably an accident more than anything, but he didn't seem to care, keeping his eyes on her. And then, as they stared at each other, he opened his mouth to speak.

_"Good-bye."_

The words couldn't have been more than a mutter, but Talia felt like she could hear it above the screams and shouts and insanity beneath her. It was like they were both back in the cell and it was in the dead of night, and Talia was curled up against his chest and could feel every vibration of his voice when he spoke.

The scream she felt inside suddenly froze, a harsh, loud sound breaking off abruptly.

Talia turned away, hearing the dull screams of pain that could never be anyone else's but Bane's. She climbed because she had to, because he would never forgive her if she squandered the only opportunity he had given her, if she stayed frozen there and listened to the horrors they were doing to him.

The stones and ledges beneath her hands and feet blurred together, never ending, the sky never getting nearer. Then finally, there were no other stones to climb. She glanced around on the ledge, faced with the last obstacle, the final jump. Talia swallowed, dully thinking that if she missed, if she fell, she would be dead if she hit the ground.

So she just had to not fall.

Talia summoned all of her strength and courage, feet set, legs tense, and then she sprang and she was flying and the world disappeared and her insides dropped away and her terror consumed her and she thought _what if I don't make it, what if I die just like Bane-_

Her hands slammed against the ledge, and Talia felt herself swing, swing, almost too far and almost breaking her grip, but then she was scrambling up, desperately struggling to find something to stand on.

She pressed herself against the wall, panting, gasping, heart screaming in her ears. She had done it, she had done it, she had managed to leap to the ledge, she had _done what no one else could._

Euphoria thrilled Talia for a moment, and instinctively she turned to tell Bane, to see his incredulous look of pride, and saw no one. And heard the distant howls beneath her, where her only friend, where the only person in the _world_ that she loved was slowly being murdered because of her.

Talia almost choked on her horror, wondering how on earth she was supposed to make it out now. Bane's words from so long ago came back to her, about how people who still had ties to the Pit could never get out. That made sudden sense to her, not in that she would be unable to make the jump, as she just had, but that she would never be able to just _leave_ him there to suffer while she lived free.

She swallowed, throat not working, the idea of just walking off the edge flashing into her brain before her raw will tore it away. She had to go on, had to keep moving or else everything he had ever done for her would be pointless. To move on from the ledge, to not stay there until she died, Talia would have to leave her heart and not look back.

Talia hated herself for it, but she turned her back on him. She faced the stones that lead to freedom, and placed her foot in a crack. She climbed, climbed away from the shame and pain of the ledge beneath, climbing until the sunlight touched her hands and she smelled not dust and mold and the ugly, flat scent of too many people crammed in too small a place, but the smell of fresh sand and moving air and something spicy and delicious.

When she finally reached the absolute top, when she stood up and stared at the world she had been dreaming of, Talia instinctively glanced back to tell Bane. He wasn't there, and she knew that, but she peered into the stark darkness of the Pit, and wished he could see this with her.

A breeze brushed against her face, making her start a little bit, because she had never felt wind touch her skin before. The air in the Pit was unmoving and dead, like so much.

A sad smile stretched her face, and she pulled up her head scarf, taking a shaky step off of the edge and onto the sand. Talia headed towards the city, squinting in the sunlight, feeling no joy. She was cold and heartless now, a harsh shadow of whoever she had just been an hour ago.

* * *

Talia did as Bane had instructed, and searched for any group of children that looked like herself, desperate and brave. There were so many sounds and smells and scents to sort through that she was overwhelmed at first, crouching down behind a stall and trying to catch her breath. It was like a dream, but a dream that missed the most vital part and turning it into a nightmare. She wished Bane was here, she wanted him, just to press her face into his thigh and feel his hand on her head, reassuring her. The last time he had touched her, he had been pushing her up, the quickest of lifts and then he was gone, for forever.

_Not forever,_ she snarled at herself, _I **will** find him, I have to! I promised him I would._

She had to.

So Talia stood up and wandered the allies, edging around people and trying to find some sort of safety. Most people ignored her, which was a drastic change from the Pit, where everyone leered at her with foul intentions. Here, no actually cared. She was just another street rat, getting under foot.

By the time night fell, she had found nothing. Talia nibbled on the edge of a seed cake, curled up in the nook of an alley and wishing she could just sleep. People passed, murmuring in languages that she mostly understood, until one voice whispered right behind her.

"What're you doing here?"

She started, turning to look at the person. It was a boy around her age, thin not because he was starving like her, but because he was growing. She shrugged, not wanting to begin explaining.

"If the man across the street catches you, he'll beat you," the boy continued, and Talia glanced at the building he indicated. The boy sighed, as if he couldn't believe how dumb she was being, then held out a hand. Talia flinched, expecting a slap.

"Here, I'll take you somewhere safe. You don't have anywhere else, right?"

Talia shook her head, nervous at speaking to him. He seemed innocent enough, but she usually relied on Bane making the judgment calls about people. She would have to do that on her own, now.

"Okay, then, come on." He waved at her, and Talia stood up, ready to follow him.

"_But,_" the boy continued, holding up a hand, "you have to give me a bite of your food."

Talia glared at him, holding her seed cake tight, even though it was dry and tasted like nothing good, because it was hers. Food was a precious commodity everywhere, it seemed.

"It's yer fault for having it out. Best to eat where no one can see you."

She sighed, glancing up at the sky (which still boggled her, because it was _everywhere,_ stars and clouds and the moon, visible no matter where she was), and then back at him.

"Fine," she muttered, breaking off a corner and handing it to the boy. He grinned and nodded, mumbling "At least you got a voice. Girl I know can't even make squeaks. Come on," he said, briskly, like he hadn't just said something awful. Talia reluctantly followed, not wanting to think any more.

Talia had not cried since looking back and seeing Bane, crowned with hands and murmuring his final farewell to her. She hadn't cried before she jumped, or after, or when she reached the top. Not even when this mysterious boy showed her to a camp of small, young vagabonds like themselves, and then showed her a mat she could go to sleep on, displaying breath taking kindness to her, an utter stranger that he knew nothing about.

But when Talia laid down, and let her body settle into the ground, and her mind settle into the fact that she was _alone_, the tears poured down her face, caught by her sleeve, which she was using to muffle her sobs.

_**AN ME TOO, KID.  
**_

_**I love the development of Nasrin, which you guys haven't really seen as it all takes place in my head. Initially, for those who don't know, I planned her to be this cold, conniving woman that used Bane and sold him out, with no regrets on the matter. But then plot points changed, I scratched out a few scenes and got to talking with some people, and she became the wonderful, trustworthy person she is today. I think the reason I like her so much is that she is just a good person, and isn't afraid of helping people because of it. That's a rare thing, even today in far better climates. **_


	15. the end of our journey

**_AN This is the last official chapter, though there is a short(er) epilogue on its immediate way._**

**_I have had about five billion headaches on the topic of where the crap the Pit is located (generally agreed to be in Northern Africa for reasons), and where the League of Shadows headquarters is located (in the widdle country of Bhutan, also for reasons), and how the devil a little girl is going to be able to travel a quarter of the way across the world, convince her dad who she is and then get him to go back and save this guy that had been raising her before he died. I finally said screw it and put the Pit in Saudi Arabia or some nice halfway Middle Eastern country, because there's less hard evidence on its location (if we go by the fort thing outside of it, it would be in north-eastern India, and I just asdfjkl;)._**

**_YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH I PUT INTO STUPID LITTLE STORIES LIKE THIS. I don't even know why I do it. It's not important, it probably won't even be covered in the story BUT I HAVE TO HAVE THE ANSWERS READY IN CASE SOMEONE ASKS/I hate leaving plot holes for myself UGH WRITING._**

**_Also, apologies for being freakishly late in the update, and for the super crappy editing job. But it is already tomorrow, and I have over seven thousand words to look through plus an epilogue to write and upload SO UGH LEAVE ME ALONE WHILE I CRY._**

The days trickled by for Talia. As intriguing as this brand new world was to her, it was a bitter treat. The loss it had taken to earn it was far too great for her to ever truly enjoy the wonders that surrounded her.

The boy she had met had fallen into the informal role of her tutor, teaching her about life on the streets. She learned to steal and run and climb under his guidance, and from the aid of the other children, she eventually settled into her new life. But she did not relax into it. No matter what she was doing, no matter where she went, Talia was always on high alert, the absence of Bane nearby feeling like a part of her own skin had been pulled away, open for the attacks of the harsh city life. No matter what, she never forgot him.

Once or twice, the other children had asked her where she came from, but she never named the Pit. It was something quiet and sacred, knowledge only reserved for herself and the people that were trapped in the Pit for the rest of their lives.

_And Bane,_ she told herself, angry that she had even accidentally grouped him with those people. He would get out. She would save him, Talia would go find her father, and _beg_ him until she couldn't stand any more, beg for his mercy.

Instead of the truth, Talia told the other children that she had been held captive by an awful, terrible man with two different colored eyes. The others assumed that she meant she had been locked away in some basement with a group of other women, whispering behind hands and eyes coloring with pity at the thought.

That was another thing Talia learned, but only from herself. How to lie.

* * *

Each breath was a burden.

_In, out. In, out._

They were all agony, shallow and practically useless. After the other prisoners had done their work, they had casually disbanded, completely silent. That had been one thing Bane had noticed aside from the pain. It was all _silent._ Except for his breaths.

_In, out...in..._

He had been conscious through it all, a sort of penance for destroying the unforgiving rules of the Pit. But Bane was just glad that it had all rained down on him, and not tiny, precious little Talia.

_Out...in...out..._

He wondered why no one had come to finish him, to put him out of his misery. But then, they were all cowards in the Pit. He wasn't honestly surprised that they refused to even come near him, preferring to leave the broken man to bleed out.

_In..._

These thoughts took a lifetime to form, the pain muddling his thoughts. At first, it was easy to think, to scream in his head about the absolute, utter pain he was in, to think frantically about Talia and how she would survive, and indulge in useless pride at the jump he had somehow managed to watch her make. Even when a knife had been raked across his face, and he was being beaten with stones, he had managed to look up at the little girl, fleeing for her life.

Now, though, it was too much. Breathing only came because it was instinctive and unavoidable, but thinking was a luxury he couldn't even get a grip on. A thought would come close within his reach, a plan maybe, a final comment or farewell on his situation, but then it'd be rebuffed by the continual agony pressing through every part of his body.

_Out..._

He couldn't think, couldn't move, could hardly even close his eyes. Bane was convinced he would be forced to lay there in torment until his body finally could not stand it any longer, perishing from thirst or hunger or lack of blood, or sleep deprivation, because he knew he would never be able to rest with this cold fire in his limbs.

A face hovered above him, small and unfocused. He was beyond caring, because no matter what he saw, nothing would ease this _agony. _Then the words, soft and sorrowful and familiar floated down to him.

"Oh, _tiger,_ I'm sorry."

_In..._

Nasrin crouched above him just as he recognized her, mind so, so cursedly slow. She looked horrified, but a muted sort of horror, like she had expected as much so that she wasn't surprised by it, but it still stung, still made her feel sick. She raised a hand, hovering it over his forehead, then gently set it down. He hissed in a breath, as she had placed her hand directly on the knife wound above his eye, but he guessed it was more to attempt to staunch the blood more than anything.

"What did they do to you," she murmured, and to his utter surprise, a tear dropped from her, landing delicately on his cheek. Vaguely, he realized that even though every part of his body utterly _hurt,_ it didn't spike when touched by the salty tear. "What kind of animals did this to you?"

"Are you...just going to...cry about...me?" he rasped, shocking himself in being able to speak. She bit her lip and smiled, then shook her head.

"'Course not. Just sorry for the loss of such a pretty face," she said, then hooked her hands under his arms. "C'mon, we need to get you to that doctor. You can't bleed out on me now."

Somehow, Nasrin managed to hoist him onto his feet, where he leaned heavily on her. Not only was his entire being steeped in agony, and his breaths short and unreliable, but Bane felt like he was traveling in sickening swoops, the world spinning heavily around him. Nasrin staggered under his weight, and his vision skittered for a moment, eaten away with black. All of his senses seemed to be revolting, scents shockingly bold, sounds coming and going, and his sense of touch completely overwhelmed with the pain he was feeling. He clenched his teeth as the disconcerting sounds of Nasrin's labored breaths were almost drowned out by the roar in his ears.

"I can't—I can't walk," he gasped, and he vaguely felt her nodding against his shoulder.

"Yep, knew that when I came over," she panted, taking a determined step. "Just gotta muscle through."

Bane closed his eyes, wondering what they would be reduced to next.

* * *

"Hassan, can I ask a question?" Talia murmured one day, staring out at the bustling street from the shadows. The boy beside her, the one that had informally become her tutor, looked at her.

"Mm, what's that?" As kind as he had been towards her, Talia could see a hardness in the boy's eyes that said he would have no problem with putting himself before others.

"Have you ever heard of the League of Shadows?" she asked, not daring to look at him. Talia felt him suck in a breath, then lean closer to her.

"They're a group a people that no one sees. They're the best fighters, protecting people like us and gettin' rid a evil men."

Talia paused, wondering if that was true, if they were such good people, if her father was in charge of them, then why she and her mother had been left in the Pit. She pressed those thoughts away, focusing on Hassan's words. There was an unsettling light in the boy's eyes as he spoke, like they were heroes come to life.

"I've even heard that they go all over the world, dealing out justice. Nobody sees them in action, though, it's like their name says. It's all in the shadows, without bodies left behind. But I guess they live way off in the east, in the great mountains. "

"Who leads them?" she asked, tucking this bit of knowledge away and trying to hide the hope from her voice. The boy shrugged, saying "It changes. I wanna say that I heard someone sayin' it was some guy like Ra's Al Ghul, but I could be wrong."

A knot of fear yanked in Talia's stomach at the thought that maybe her father wasn't in charge of the League anymore. After all, Bane had been in the Pit longer than she had been, maybe what he had known had been wrong or out of date. That too she pushed away, because without Bane there beside her, helping her through life, Talia didn't have anything else to keep her going. All of that had been stripped from her when she had clawed her way to the light of the world above.

Hassan didn't question her curiosity, probably writing it off to her allegedly having been locked away in some man's underground storage and not having been told about the world above. They both fell silent, shrinking back as more and more people fell into the streets. As they passed before the children, a plan was forming in Talia's mind.

* * *

Bane lay on the doctor's cot, the ugly taste of vomit in his mouth. He didn't know much, other than sometimes he _hurt_ like he had been buried in fire, and others he couldn't even feel his body, like he had been wrapped in a cloud that was made of a falsely sweet comfort. The doctor blurred in and out of his vision, sometimes covering his face with bandages, others talking to him. Bane never understood.

Sometimes the old woman, Anina, came into sight, but she never said anything. She kept her mouth shut as she glared at him, a swirl of emotions crossing her face, far too complex for him to figure out in his broken state.

And then there was Nasrin. She was always there, it seemed, going in and out. He sometimes heard her voice, the tone of it often tired and anxious, the easy confidence brittle or even gone most of the time.

One time, he tried to reach out and catch her, to get her to just go back to that comfortable and irritating confidence. She caught his fingers, and was seemingly relieved that he was moving.

"Hey there, tiger," she whispered, voice tired and ragged. "Miss me so much?"

Bane tired talking but his mouth was stuck together, and a large bruise on his cheek throbbed at the attempted movement.

"No, no, don't talk, shhhh," Nasrin said immediately, alarmed at his attempted action. "You got a lot of injuries on your face, just...lay there. The doctor said to not let you do anything too...strenuous."

Vaguely Bane put together the fact that talking by no means was a strenuous activity in normal circumstances. What had happened to him to make it so terrible? He knew that there was still ridiculous amounts of pain when he wasn't on what he guessed was morphine, but still...was it that bad?

She looked at him, and again Bane saw a pervasive sadness in her face that he knew shouldn't be there. She shook her head, glossy brown hair falling in a tangle over her shoulder.

"She got out, you know," Nasrin said gently, voice still broken. "She made the jump, she's out there now. I dunno what her next step is, but she's...she's a tough little tiger, too. Raised in your image, y'know?"

Bane nodded, remembering with both pride and terror that she was out, that Talia had managed to escape just like she'd always said she would. But without him, without anyone in the world to guide her. Except maybe her father.

"I just... Everything's falling apart now," Nasrin continued, voice forced back into a whisper. "With Eyphah dead and you out of it, there ain't really any big players left. There've been a few bids, but nothing big. I don't..."

She looked away, lips pursed as she searched for the words, reflecting for the further chaos that had befallen their wretched little hole.

"I don't know...what's gonna be left of this place by the end of the year. Nothing's like it used to be, everything's broken. All because Eyphah couldn't _stand_ not having his disgusting hands in everything," she finished bitterly, fist pressed into the cot by Bane's head. He furrowed his brows, forced his mouth open and managed a question that he had been wondering about for a while.

"Why're you...why're you...still alive?" he managed, the words ungainly and awkward coming from his mouth. Nasrin looked at him and laughed darkly, shaking her head.

"Because I'm so eager to please," she said, and suddenly there was pain in her eyes. "Because in their idiotic rampage, several of the women died, and they realized just how few whores there were left."

Nasrin closed her eyes and rested her head on her head, hair falling onto his face.

"I never cared where I died before, Bane," she said, voice muffled and utterly different from before. "I really didn't, 'cause I'd done my good, I saved a kid from being used by palace guards, spat in their faces when they threatened me. I didn't care that I was gonna die in a cave afterwards, shriveling up because a some disease or 'cause there was no food. But after what happened...I don't wanna die like an animal, and that's all we are down here. Animals, trying to stay alive outta fear. I'd be anything but that."

Bane closed his eyes, not having anything to say. He wasn't the kind to comfort with lies, and the pain was coming back, eating his words.

Nasrin was right, Eyphah's riot had turned the prisoners into more than just an angry mob, pliable to the man's horrendous will. He had stripped them of all humanity, all decency obliterated.

One thing was for sure, though, and that was that Bane was glad Talia had escaped this hollow, soulless fate.

* * *

Scrounging for life was easier for Talia, now, but she still missed life with Bane. She thought she would always miss it, the comfort his large, ragged, hungry frame provided something entirely different from the constant press of the group of wild children she had fallen in with. They were so like her, some not having parents, others interested in other worlds, some so familiar with coping with intense hunger, but none of them truly knew who she was. The background they thought she had wasn't even right, but she couldn't bring herself to correct them. Now she kept up the pretense just to keep from speaking about Bane.

When she wasn't clawing by, day at a time, Talia continued asking about the League of Shadows, her father, even her mother once or twice. She had become increasingly adept at getting information that she wanted without asking out right, leaving no questions to be asked why the new girl was asking about a legendary group of warriors and the disgraced daughter of a warlord.

The more Talia learned about her roots, or at least the rumors of, the more twisted she became inside. She had known the story of her mother already, but only that she had been the daughter of a very rich and influential man, and then had gone down into the Pit instead of her father. When she had found out that he had actually _allowed_ her to be placed in the Pit, her rage had built up inside to the point of her wanting to scream. Talia had clenched her teeth instead, though, thinking of Bane and how he would act, how he would never let someone know something so important.

She had closed her eyes, compressed her anger into something small and dark and dangerous, leaving room for her to think and keep asking questions.

Finally, someone had asked her why she was even asking such questions. It was a woman, older than Nasrin, but nowhere near the age of Anina. Her eyes and hair were dark and cynical, noticing the things everyone else had missed. She was a strange sort of caretaker for the children, warning them of trouble and even offering a place for the sick to sleep on nights when the weather was bad, but hardly above snapping at them to get going off her stoop when they started being a nuisance.

"What's so important about legends and tragedies, anyways?" she demanded, voice low and raspy from spending her entire day hunched over a fire. "Every day, you wanna know 'bout killers, the League, their leader, the crooked ape sitting so high above us right now, and we're nothin' to them, nothin'! The chances of even seein' them is nothin', and the warlord lives in the same city!"

Talia dropped her gaze, cheeks burning as she scrambled for a lie. She could just imagine Bane's face as he told her that she had become comfortable in not being caught, had become lazy.

"I—I just—they're something different. Something better than what's here."

"Yeah? You thinking about joinin' the League so you can go kill the warlord? What, a little scrap of a girl like you?"

"Leave her alone!" a voice snapped from inside the house, making both of them start. Talia searched the shadows, trying to see who had spoken. It was a man, that was for sure, and just the sound of his voice put her hair on end. Talia's experience of men that were alright to be around ended with Bane and the doctor in the Pit.

She was on the verge of running away, unsure if the man had been speaking to her when he stepped out before them. He was older than his sister, but had lighter eyes and the shadows of a smile, even when squinting in the noon day sun. Normally he didn't deal with the children, as he ran the shop out front, but she had seen him on occasion, and knew that he didn't mind sparing a gentle word for anyone who passed by.

"Don't listen to her, grumpy dove, she's upset she had to work out 'ere in the sun today. Plus, she don't like talking about the League," he told her, putting a hand above his eyes to shield them. Talia frowned at him, not shifting.

"Once, when ancients like us where a bit older than you, we knew a boy who went and got himself to be a part a them, became a fighter for them. So, if you wanna know about the League of Shadows, I can tell you quite a lot," the man told her, tilting his head as he waited for her next move. Talia stared at him, weighing everything he had said, then slowly straightened.

"Do you know anything about the man who leads them?

* * *

"Why're you...wasting time on me?" Bane asked, hearing his own words slur from the morphine. The doctor, despite coveting the drug for his own deplorable use, had been studious in supplying Bane with at least a little bit every day, to take the edge off of the pain. Even though he was healing, the agony stayed with him, as though he was still being torn apart by the other prisoners. The doctor hadn't said so, but Bane was certain it would stay this way for the rest of his life.

Nasrin turned her head to look at him, eyes not giving anything away. She looked back at the opening of the Pit, lips pressing a little tighter.

"Because, tiger, I ain't got anything else to do." Her words were slow and deliberate, like she was forcing herself to get them out. It wasn't a joke, like she was brushing off the importance or decency of what she was doing, comforting a doomed man, but an ugly fact that she hated.

"I thought women like you...were in short supply here."

Nasrin laughed and looked at him, shook her head.

"Oh, yeah, they are, but I...I ain't any good anymore."

Bane looked at her, confused until she raised her right hand, off to the side.

"I can't see. There's a great big patch of fuzzy nothing where my hand's s'posed to be, and I'm tired all the time, and sometimes I'll just get so sick that I vomit, for no reason. Remember that disease I told you 'bout? Well, it's come to collect, and my body's all I've got, so that's what it's taking."

"So...while suffering and dying...you go see a suffering and dying man?" It took him a moment to click the thought together, an inevitable side effect of the morphine. Nasrin didn't seem to mind, though, staying quiet while he thought. Underneath all of the blessed nothingness he felt, Bane always could feel the heat of his anger at being so altered because of Eyphah's selfish savagery. Even in death, the man was a menace.

"Yep, it's 'cause I got such a good sense a humor. Plus you're the only halfway decent being in here, so what else am I gonna do, tiger?"

Bane closed his eyes, the morphine smothering his laugh.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, girl? You can't change your mind with these people."

Talia looked into the eyes of the man who had told her so much about the League, whom she had learned was called Ihsan, and nodded.

"I want to go. I want to be a part of the League of Shadows."

"You're not gonna be one of their fighters, remember. Most likely, you'll just end up being one of their servin' girls or somethin' little like that. Nothing' powerful or special. I ain't telling you this to make you upset, mind," he added hurriedly, "I just don' want you to walk in with crazy dreams an' get laughed at."

Talia nodded again, unable to keep herself from looking at the woman standing in the doorway. Her eyes are settled on the murky street outside, but Talia was certain she was listening intently. Talia had asked Ihsan if there was a way to join the League, and he had reluctantly admitted that they were always looking for new recruits, though he made it very clear they were picky about whom they selected. Talia just shook her head and told him she had to try.

"I just want to be able to help," she told him now, and he sighed.

It didn't matter to her what position she had. In Talia's mind, she just needed to _be_ there, to see her father and throw herself on his mercy and beg that he save Bane. She felt like time was sand and it was pouring down on top of her, slipping through her fingers as she tried to grab it up and save some for later. If she didn't hurry, that sand would run out and she would be left buried with absolutely no hope or enticement for digging herself out.

Ihsan pursed his lips, looking around as if to find some other dissuasion.

"I just...I don't know if this is really what you are expecting," he said, and Talia frowned at him, starting to become a little frustrated. Didn't he understand that she really had no choice, that she had to go to save a man's life?

"They League are made of hard people, and they will test you, even though you are young, though you are a girl. Do you understand?"

Talia glanced at the woman in the doorway, who spoke for the first time.

"He's right. This isn't the way most people are brought in. But since I was in the area, and since Ihsan is a good friend...I decided I would give him my time. The League will push you to make up for it, though. The trip to Bhutan will be long and hard, and there is a chance that you will die along the way."

"How long is it? How long will it take?" she asked, hardly bothered by the chance of death. That had long ago become a casual part of her existence, hanging around her like the very clothes she wore. The woman looked at her, her expression unreadable.

"For us, several months. Is that a problem?"

Talia bit her lips, anxiety bubbling up and up until she thought it would fall from her mouth. She shook her head, not caring that her fear was spilling out where anyone could see.

* * *

Bane looked out across the floor of the Pit, the pain almost too terrible to be beaten back by the morphine. He knew that an addiction was creeping into his bones, but he didn't care. The pain was utterly debilitating, so that he could hardly even look around or speak, much less fetch his own food and protect himself. If it came down to dying from a withdrawal and starving to death, he would prefer the withdrawal, simply because it was faster.

He wasn't the only thing wasting away, either. Nasrin had been right when she had said that everything was breaking down with the key players out of the picture. People were turning on each other, destroying the rules that had held everything so preciously in balance. Combined with the increasingly sporadic food drops, the life of the prisoners was vanishing.

The only possible benefit from the anarchy was that more murders meant fewer mouths, so the food stretched a little bit farther than it had before. The death chant had filled the air for days on end, begging the people on the surface to come and clear away the bodies before they started to deteriorate. The haunting echoes had sifted into Bane's very soul, poisoning his fevered dreams as he recovered. Even now, when he closed his eyes, the rough chords would swim to the surface.

No one bothered him, viewing him as just another boulder, even after he had coerced Nasrin into helping over onto the floor of the Pit. With her help, he had positioned himself against the side of the stairs, enabling him with a proper view of something other than the ceiling of the doctor's cell, which he had had before. She hadn't wanted to, arguing that it would be at the very least a trial to help him should he need it while out in the open, but eventually gave in. The stubborn ferocity that had been so characteristic of her had faded with the continual wear of the nightmare they lived in, for which Bane mourned.

Nasrin was around less, as she had been forced to go back into prostitution just so she could eat. She wasn't the feisty, clever creature that had pushed a man to his death just months before. Now Nasrin was a wisp, one that somehow still made time to take care of Bane. Her persistent set of morals forced her to provide food and even company for him, as she was well aware no one else would. If Bane had been able to even move freely, he would have protested, but there was no point now.

As night after night dragged itself by, Bane kept thinking that he was glad Talia would never see any of this.

* * *

Talia shuddered for about the dozenth time in the last few minutes, stumbling over herself as she stepped over the frosty ground. Eser, the woman leading her to the League of Shadows, strode ahead of her, not having looked back since she had handed Talia her coat. The last couple of months had been an overwhelming rush of experiences for Talia, as she saw and felt and tasted things she never could have imagined. Bane's stories had been exciting and wonderful for her, but actually seeing and experiencing the things he talked about, when she saw the ocean for the first time, so starkly blue that it hurt her eyes, or the thousands of different faces people could have, or the animals or plants that could grow, she felt embarrassed at the pale creations she had imagined in the darkness of the Pit.

Eser was similar to Bane in many respects, quiet and a teacher that was to the point. She didn't waste time on feelings or extra accommodations. When something needed to be said or done, she did it. But that did not mean she was unkind. Talia knew that for as long as she lived, she would never forget the way the woman held Talia's shoulders as she vomited over the side of their ship as they sailed across the Persian Gulf.

The trip was long and difficult, just as they had warned Talia it would be. In the span of the first month alone, she had trekked across a part of the desert, walked all day while being drenched by rain, waded through field of grass almost taller than she was and begged for a ride on breathtaking contraptions called cars and trucks. It was satisfying, though, whenever she overcame an obstacle, to see Eser tired smile, or be able to see a new part of the world.

The best part of it all, though, was meeting new people. The first thing Eser had drilled into her was that not all people were bad, not all were good. Very often, they were both, and it took a long time and a lot of effort to see just how much they were of each. Talia had known this to some degree, but Eser's hard glare whenever Talia balked from someone at a shallow look or absent touch on the arm was a better reinforcement than anything.

Now, thousands of miles and dozens of days later, they were nearly there. Talia had fear and excitement pent up in her chest, getting a little stronger the further she went, wondering about her father, worrying about Bane, praying that her mother could see this, could finally see her family be united.

Talia closed her eyes against both tears and a gust of particularly icy wind, hoping everything would come to rights.

* * *

One day, Nasrin dropped down beside Bane. She leaned against his shoulder, utterly delirious as fever raged across her skin. Bane stared at her, noting the utter tragedy of the picture they made. Two of the strongest people in the entire Pit, reduced to bones and ashes because of fate's cruel, cruel sense of humor. They couldn't move, couldn't help each other, couldn't even speak. Almost.

"Hey there, tiger," she drawled, pressing her hand messily to his face. He clenched his teeth as her hand jostled the bandages on his face, wishing he could speak, could pick her up and move her somewhere else, could do anything.

"Have I _ever_ told you that I always thought you was pretty?" she asked him, and he closed his eyes.

"No."

"Well, not _pretty, _that lil' girl was pretty, you were...you were _wild,_ fierce, like a tiger. S'why I call you that, call you tiger."

"I know."

She closed her eyes, grinning into his ragged, blood stained shirt.

"Not a bad place to die," she mumbled, "here, with people who actually kinda respect you for bein' a _person_ and not just a body to do this to. Coulda...coulda asked for a better way, though. None a this burnin' up from the inside or—or starvin' to death."

_Which one of us, I wonder,_ Bane thought to himself as Nasrin either passed out or fell asleep against him, hand falling to his shoulder, _is going to have watch the other's corpse be lifted out of the Pit?_

* * *

Talia stared at the great set of doors before her, heart slamming in her chest and demanding that she get out of there at any cost. There was her father, Ra's Al Ghul, sitting in the room beyond. If she could make herself move, she could go see him. But if she could make herself move, she could also turn and _run_ for all she was worth, to keep from having to face potential disappointment or sorrow.

She had made sure that the leader of the League of Shadows at least matched up with the description her mother had given her, a tall, pale man that had come from the West, but that was no true assurance. There were countless tall Western men, surely. How many had made their way into a highly specific group of warriors, though, was an entirely different, terrifying matter.

In the span of three seconds, Talia's brain jumped from her father to the impossibility of her entire situation, how unlikely it was that she, a child born in _the Pit,_ had managed to even get out of the prison in the first place, and then have the good luck to continue on and travel across the world to find her long lost father. What was the likelihood of any of this, how had she even survived the intense, relentless journey from the Pit into the land Eser called Bhutan?

"Talia, you can go in," Eser said softly, making Talia jump. Even after months, Talia couldn't tell when the woman walked up behind her. She watched the woman for a moment, uncertain as the doors opened, and then she stepped in.

The room was dark but large, with an imperious wooden throne at the far end of the room. It stood on a platform almost taller than she was, and Talia could see that it was intricately carved. She chewed on her cheek as she looked at the man sitting on it. He was different from what she imagined, older, more stern, far more intense. His light blue eyes seemed to be piercing her as she moved closer and closer, the most striking feature on his face.

"So you are the girl that traveled all the way from Al Hofuf was to speak to me. Eser said you asked to speak with me the entire way. Is this true?"

Talia nodded, a little surprised at how shockingly _warm_ his voice was. Not welcoming or comforting, open for her to walk over and embrace him, just emanating heat the way a fire did. Not always good, not always bad, just heat.

"Y-y-yes, sir," Talia stammered, surprised to hear her native language come from her tongue. She had been speaking in one of the languages Bane had taught her since she and Eser had left the Persian Gulf behind, and Talia noticed more people understood her when she used it, but now...the words just came out. Ra's Al Ghul sat a little bit straighter, then asked "Why?"

Talia licked her lips, vaguely noticing that they were still speaking in two drastically different languages, not sure how to proceed. She had had _months_ to figure this out, but had worried about everything but the important, key point of it all. How was she supposed to tell this man that she was his daughter, if he even was the man she thought he was?

"I-I-I have a favor to ask of you. But, I only–only feel right in asking if you...if you are..."

"Are what, child?" His voice was harder now, and he stood up and walked closer to her. Talia bit her cheek again, and forced the words out.

"_ButIonlyfeelrightinaskingifyouknewawomancalledMeli san de," _she blurted, and he froze, barely a pace away from her.

"Melisande? Yes, I...knew a woman called that. Why, what has happened to her?"

"She–she died. In the Pit. She died down there protecting me, because I'm her daughter, and I—she told me...that you...are my father." At the news of her mother's death, Ra's had stiffened ever so slightly, and then with the revelation that he was actually her father, he had seemed to grow even taller, straightening under her claim. Ra's stared at her for a long moment, jaw clenched, eyes wide while his brow was dropped low, scouring her for any sort of lie. She stared back, unabashed in her fear as he sought for something she couldn't even guess how to give.

"What...is your name, girl?" he asked, voice softer than before, like he was winded from the idea.

"Talia," she said, scared that he might throw her back out into the snow.

"Well, Talia..." he began, looking her over again and turning slightly, "Lucky for you, you look...so much like your mother." There was a long pause, which Talia kept herself from squirming and Ra's seemed to be in thought.

"And you said that you had a favor that you could only ask if I knew your mother?" he said after a moment, looking down at her. Talia blinked, having entirely forgotten about Bane for a moment. Tears suddenly sprang to her eyes as she opened her mouth to ask the one thing she had truly ever wanted from a person.

"Please...I know that you don't need to do anything for me, but _please,_ can you save a man from the Pit?" Instantly Ra's face became closed off, hard, unmoving.

"I cannot save every single person from the Pit. There are greater, more prudent things to be doing with my men's time and resources."

"But he saved me!" she said, taking an involuntary step forward and grabbing onto his sleeve. He looked at her and Talia instantly shrank back, praying she hadn't ruined everything. "He, Bane, he rescued from the other prisoners when they attacked me and Mother. I promised—I promised him I would come back and save him. Please," she whispered, dropping to her knees because she was absolutely weak from the thought of having to leave him there, "please, help me save him."

Ra's looked at her for a long moment, and Talia wasn't sure if she had pushed this intense man too far, if she had asked for him to do and believe too much too soon, if she could ever settle into the role of daughter for him.

"What did you say his name was?"

"Bane. His name is Bane."

* * *

Bane looked up at the cloudy ceiling of the Pit, and could feel himself drifting. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten, and had surpassed being ravenous to the point where everything was dulled. The pain, the sounds of the people around him, the thin sunlight on his face, they were all muddled and dampened down.

He closed his eyes, not even caring that he was finally, finally giving up.

And then the entire Pit exploded. Screams were everywhere, people were running, sparks of light and explosions of sound falling from above their heads. Bane managed to look up as people were rappelling down into the Pit, and the only thought he could really muster was that this people must have been utterly insane to _choose_ to lower themselves into the Pit, regardless of the reason.

Suddenly Nasrin was at his side, thin hands trying to wrap themselves around his arm and hoist him to his feet.

"Bane, Bane, we need to get out of here!" she practically screamed as all around them, men were dropping, blood springing from their clothes. Panic was in her eyes as she tried to figure out how to haul him to safety, but he just shook his head.

"Get out of here," he whispered, and somehow she heard, evident by the look of horror on her face.

"I can't leave you," she shouted at him, but he just looked at her, and said "I can't walk, and you can."

She glared at him for a moment, then pushed herself to her feet.

"I hate stubborn, selfish men like you," she snarled at him, and for some reason, that brought the ghost of a laugh out of him.

"No, you don't," he said, and she turned her back on him, running away and leaving him because she couldn't save him, and couldn't stand watching him him die

Bane sat there, waiting, waiting, wondering when a bullet would finally come and end his misery. The sudden excitement was sapping him of the nonexistent energy he had in the first place, and he closed his eyes.

And out of nowhere, the sound of footsteps came closer. Whereas the chaotic sound enveloping Bane had slowly muted out, these soft, unhurried steps stayed just as prevalent, as if he and the other person were the only beings in the Pit. At first he thought it was Nasrin, but as he opened his eyes, he saw a tall, pale man, clad all in dark colors except for a pale fur vest to help fight the cold. He paused when he saw Bane, crouching in front of him.

If the Devil had a shape, Bane thought, this would be it.

"Are you Bane?" the man asked, eyes searching.

"Are you the Devil?" he responded. The man gave a thin smile.

"I am Ra's Al Ghul, and if you are Bane, I have someone waiting for you. She's waited a long time to see you again. I wouldn't keep her waiting."

Bane opened his mouth to ask another question, if he was talking about Talia, where was Talia, was Ra's Al Ghul truly her father, how long had it taken for her to find him, had she truly come back for him, but the only thing that came out was "I can't move. I..."

"Yes, she said you would be hurt, and judging from the state of this place, you are weak. We have ropes to carry you up on."

Bane could only nod as he closed his eyes, a tear managing to form and work its way down his cheek.

Talia. She was alive, and she had come back.

_Talia._

Bane knew at once that he was drifting in and out of consciousness, as it had happened enough over the last few days for him to be very familiar with the sensation. One moment, Ra's Al Ghul was crouching in front of him, the next, Bane was being lifted the long, treacherous length of the Pit, closer and closer to the surface. A part of him doubted if he'd ever make it, if he would instead die before he reached the top, or if the ropes would snap and send him plummeting down. At this point, it would hardly surprise him if there was a curse on the Pit that prevented anyone from escaping by means other than their own hands.

And then he was there, underneath the sky with the cool wind brushing his bandaged face. The clouds moving, the sounds of a hawk screaming, the quiet murmur of men surrounding the Pit, waiting diligently for their leader to come back up, and—

"_Bane!_"

He turned at the sound of his name, a scream that was part horror, part utter joy, and then suddenly there was someone crashing into him. Bane fell hard to the ground as Talia clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably into his neck. Bane sighed in utter relief, managing to press his hand against her hair and whisper "Talia...my Talia, we are alright" in her ear.

**_AN I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON ANYMORE. OKAY, SOME QUICK EXPLANATIONS._**

**_This entire chapter was weird to write, because I had to use a style of writing I reserve for stories that require a certain, disjointed sort of feel, and I don't think it quite fits with the feel of the rest of the story. But, since each little scene can be a story in and of itself, I had to truncate it all. Basically, I was just skimming the top and hinting at what went down in their lives. If I were daring and good at this sort of thing/knew anything about that part of the world, I totally would write a story about Talia's journey with Eser into Bhutan, but alas, I am none of those things. _**

**_And I really wanted to show how broken Bane was, in a sense. He lost absolutely everything that he valued, and he was left to live in what I would truly describe as hell, and to him, at least, there really was no point. Also, something that I hinted at but never mentioned outright—I imagined Bane's pain thing to be more of a psychological thing, rather than a physiological thing, so even though he has healed properly, the pain receptors in his brain won't shut off (yet somehow manage to do this without burning out, because comicbook logic)._**

**_Nasrin has tertiary syphilis, which is really terrible and nasty, but some of the symptoms are blindness, seizures, fever, meningitis, and so on (WHICH IS WHY IT KILLS ME THAT SHE CHOSE TO LOOK AFTER BANE AS WELL AS HERSELF UGH)._**

**_UGH ALL OF THE PEOPLE TALIA MET ALREADY HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART BUT THEY DON'T MEAN ANYTHINGGGGGG._**

**_NOW I'M OFF TO WRITE THE EPILOGUE IF I HAVE ANY SORT OF ENDURANCE YOU SHOULD GET IT WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR._**


	16. trimming the excess

_**AN As promised, here in the epilogue an hour later OTL UGH I'M DYING IT'S PAST ONE O'CLOCK HERE. I'm so conflicted, because a part of me is shooooper excited that I have finally wrapped this story up, but I'm also really sad because I love this world I've created. The excitement for Marion Cotillard and Tom Hardy and their performances and characters and everything ever just hit me tonight, and I have nothing to fill this hole in my heart :P**_

_**Anyways, thank you thank you thank you so much for everything all of you have said or done to support me, I have loved every single step of the way, and enjoy the last little bit of**_** One Breath.  
**

Talia was shocked when she saw him, that had been for sure. But she was also so incredibly relieved, because he was _alive._ He was haggard and injured and probably wouldn't last much longer by himself, but with the aid of her father, he would live.

The entire trip back to the nearest League base was nerve wracking for Talia, because she hadn't been allowed to travel with him. Bane had to be taken away immediately for care, while she had to stay behind with her father. Not bad, necessarily, but not the best option for her.

"It's a miracle that this man is alive," Ra's told her as the machine whisking him away disappeared in the sky (which Talia had been informed was called a helicopter, large and stunning and able to cover weeks' worth of travel in just a few hours, which was utterly mind boggling to her). "Eser said that you two spent several months traveling to Bhutan alone, and he spent that entire time injured and in comparative poor health. Bane is a strong man," Ra's said softly, not looking at his daughter.

Talia nodded, thinking that he was strongest person she would ever know.

* * *

When he finally came to consciousness on one of the cots of the League infirmary in Bhutan, Talia nearly screamed from joy. She had waited at his bedside for as long as she possible could, even though Ra's was adamant on the fact that she needed to rest and recover from a life time of poor circumstances. But luck had been on her side, and she was there when he awoke.

"Talia," he whispered, and she gasped, hands leaping to his shoulders.

"Bane, Bane, I'm here, we're here, we did it!" she gushed, tears breaking loose because it was too surreal to be possible. He gave the vaguest edge of a smile, but it didn't cut through the agony in his eyes.

"Talia," he said again, just as softly, but this time she realized that it was a forced quiet, strained because he couldn't make his body do anything more.

"What is it, Bane?" she demanded, scared now, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, but I..._hurt,_" Bane rasped, wrapping his hand around hers.

* * *

He could see the apprehension in her eyes as the mask was strapped on. The thing had been feral and unsettling enough when held out to him by one of the League physicians, but once actually put on a face, he could only imagine. But something that looked harsh and savage was probably fitting, he thought, as he was harsh and savage, even more so now that he had been tortured for months on end, to the point where he could hardly breathe.

"How does it feel?" Talia asked, unable to wipe the distaste from her eyes.

"Different, but I'm not in pain anymore," he said, then stopped at the sound of his own voice. Not clear and low as it had been initially, nor weak and helpless, but...mechanical, almost unfeeling once filtered through the workings of the mask. Talia leaned back at the sound, frowning even more.

"You sound like you're not human," she said, and he looked at her. Talia looked from the mask to his eyes, not realizing the casual impact of her words.

"I suppose that very well may have been the point, little one," he said, thinking of cold, clinical Ra's Al Ghul, who had appraised Bane and his large, if hunger ravaged frame the moment he had seen it laid out before him. "I'm not supposed to be a man anymore, but a warrior. As are you."

"A pair of fighters, you and I," she said, and he smiled at her, remembering better times, when he had just been trying to lift her spirits. The smile fell when he realized that she couldn't see it.

* * *

"You want to do what?"

Bane stood in the study of Ra's Al Ghul, having requested a personal audience. He stared resolutely ahead as the man sat at his desk, well aware of the fact that Ra's had understood what Bane had said.

"I would like to go back to the Pit. To take control. It would be a very useful place for the League to have control over. As is, the local war lord is in control, and he and his corrupt nobles throw whomever they feel like in there. The League could use it for its proper use, to punish those we do not punish with death, but still should not be allowed to continue on peacefully."

Ra's looked up at him, ice blue eyes sharp and almost hostile. He always looked at Bane like this, and then switched so quickly to warmth whenever his daughter was around, Bane wondered in Talia even saw the darkness in the man's soul.

"I am well aware of the use the Pit presents. But I simply do not have the needs to use it."

"Or you don't have the man willing to wield it."

Ra's looked up at Bane, a steely warning in his eyes. Bane continued.

"Ever since Talia and I joined the League, almost four years ago, all of your men have been afraid of mentioning it, for fear of what you might do to them. I am not afraid of the Pit, as I have seen all of its horrors."

"But you are respectful of it, you are too wise not to be," Ra's said, almost absently. "Rather like arming Daniel with a lion after his escapade in the den."

"I am no martyr," Bane warned Ra's. The man's eyes were utterly cold as he responded.

"Neither was Daniel, apparently."

* * *

Talia buried her face in Bane's chest, wishing he would never go away. Ever since they had both recovered enough to train properly as members of the League, they had been almost inseparable. They ate their meals together, Bane helped her study, Talia cheered him on when he trained, and sometimes, when there was a storm or she suffered particularly terrible nightmares, she climbed into his bed and wrapped her arms as far around him as possible, terrified of being ripped away from him again.

Now, he was being ripped away from her. Granted, it was just for a mission for the League, and she knew he would be back within a couple of weeks, but she wanted to make up for all possible lost time.

"Why do you get to go on a mission and I don't?" she sulked, making him chuckle briefly.

"Because I am not eleven," he told her, and she huffed.

"Where are you going, Bane?" she asked, and he shook his head.

"I can't tell you, Talia. Your father told me specifically."

"_Pleeeeeease?_ Who am I going to tell without you here?" she asked, pouting ever so slightly. Generally that sort of thing didn't work on Bane, but he had learned that if he didn't give in right away, she would go on and on and on, becoming increasingly devious and obnoxious until he finally caved out of annoyance.

"West," he said reluctantly, and instantly images of far off Europe popped into Talia's head. She gasped with excitement, jabbering about Paris and England and what sort of mission her father might have planned for there.

Bane smiled behind his mask, she could tell from the slight way his eyes crinkled, and ran a hand through her hair.

* * *

He had told her 'west', and had not lied. Her conclusion about it being in Europe was utterly wrong, though, as mere days later Bane was standing outside the Pit. A ripple of disgust surged through his chest as he remembered all that had happened down there. Even now, years later, any voice from the shadows, any unpleasant leer reminded him of Eyphah. It was difficult to remember that he was dead, sometimes.

Especially when he had been down there again today, had walked so tall amongst the men he had fought and starved and nearly died with. They had all stared at him, speechless at his very existence. He didn't know if it was because of the mask, or the fact that he was well fed and strong, or if they had simply assumed that he was either dead or would never come back to their little nightmare. In most cases, that would have been absolutely correct, as Bane wanted nothing more than to travel the world for the rest of his life and never return to this soulless bit of desert. But he did not have free rein with Ra's just yet, if he ever would. He needed to prove his use to the man to stay in the League, and therefore stay with Talia.

Bane surveyed the Pit, noting that there were more new faces than he expected, and far too few old ones. Apparently conditions had worsened in the Pit after he had left, no thanks to Ra's raid.

At one point, he had stopped a prisoner, the man shrinking under his grip.

"There was a prostitute here, several years back," he said, and the man nodded, though he flinched at the hard voice. "She had long brown hair and golden teeth. What happened to her, where is she?"

"Dead, sir," the man said, trying to keep his eyes off the mask and failing. "Died not long after you was taken out, just didn't wake up one day. Lucky, in my opinion."

Bane paused, then nodded, turning around and heading for the rappelling lines against the far wall.

"Uhm...Bane?" one of his men called, unable to force the word 'sir' out when applied to him. He didn't care, formal titles never could be applied to him, anyways. At heart, he was no leader or man of rank, simply a killer that was for now aimed somewhere and let loose.

"What is it?"

"Aren't you going to take control of the Pit?" he asked, trying to keep his tone respectful. "That was the sole purpose of the mission, after all. Set the prisoners straight, then...tell them who's in control?"

"Oh, I will do that in due time," Bane said. "Tomorrow is when we will claim this for the League,. We need to sort out the war lord, to make sure that we aren't simply masters in name only."

The man paused, then nodded, reluctantly seeing his brand of logic. Of course, if he had known what Bane had even gone down there for in the first place, he probably would have been asking entirely different questions.

* * *

For such a large man, Bane could be very, very quiet.

Slipping into the man's sleeping chambers hadn't been especially difficult, neither had been slipping Ra's Al Ghul's men for his own personal venture. What he was about to do was unsanctioned by the League, which was frowned heavily upon by Ra's, who enjoyed being in utter control. But Bane wasn't trying to impress the father, or anyone, for that matter. Rather, he was following the theme of the League and taking justice into his own hands.

He waited as the pinks and purples faded from the sky, crouching in the roof beams of the building for what felt like hours until the man finally came in. He was older than Bane expected, but just as heartless.

When Bane silently landed on the floor just a few paces behind him, the man was already in his nightshirt. Bane waited for him to turn around before he struck, because he wanted this man to know what he was dying for.

The terror of his face was real and contemptible. He must have been expecting this every day of his life ever since he had taken the title as war lord so long ago. Despite having the reputation of a cruel, terrible man, he pleaded just like any other street rat.

"I don't want you money," Bane said softly, "or your title, or your lands or anything you could possibly give. I simply want you to know something."

The man closed his mouth as Bane stepped closer, waiting, waiting.

"You condemned your daughter to the horrors of the Pit, simply because she fell in love with a mercenary," Bane told him, and the man opened his mouth to protest.

"No, I don't care about your reasoning or justifications, it is a fact. Another fact was that she was pregnant at the time, and you effectively sentenced your only remaining family to a lifetime of torture, lies, and suffering, without a care. Your granddaughter grew up not knowing what the sky looked like until she was six and managed to escape."

"Escape?" the man demanded, shock changing his entire face. "But...no one is supposed to get out of there alive!"

"But she did it. Your daughter gave birth to a wonder, and you cast that away without a second glance. But she is out now, and she has instead decided to bless her father with her gifts, and not you. Who knows what she could have done for your sparse little kingdom here."

The man seemed to sag in on himself, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at Bane, searching for some sort of redemption. Bane pulled in a breath, decision made by the time the air had left his lungs. But then, he supposed it had been made long ago, on the breath he had first taken when he had held tiny little Talia in his arms while her mother died.

"What...what was...is...her name? What is my granddaughter's name?"

"Her name is Talia Al Ghul."

"Talia..." the man whispered, and Bane moved, fast as a snake striking. One moment, the man was staring dumbstruck at the floor, and the next he had fallen back on his pillows, bleeding into his pillow as a knife protruded from his throat.

Bane looked down at him, utterly unfeeling as he said "Don't dirty her name with your lips," before vanishing off of the warlord's balcony, headed back to the League, to Talia.


End file.
